Operations research (OR) is a critical method of problem-solving and decision-making that is beneficial to the management of organizations. In order to make tasks trouble-free, operations research aids in breaking down problems into basic components and then solving them in defined steps, with the help of mathematical analysis. The field of operations research has contributed tremendously to today's air transportation management. Driven by enormous demand from management, airlines are turning to advanced optimization techniques to develop missioncritical decision support systems for administration and management of airline operations, in order to gain a competitive advantage in the market. This paper presents an overview of the inputs of operations research in various sectors of the air transport industry. Moreover, this paper lays emphasis on key areas of the airline industry such as air traffic control, scheduling of domestic as well as international flights, baggage management, human resource management and lastly, airport security.

Keywords : Operations Research; Mathematical Analysis; Advanced Optimization Techniques; Air Traffic Control; Scheduling Of Flights; Baggage Management; Human Resource Management; Airport Security.