UNITED AIRLINE SYSTEM

DESIGN & ANALYSIS

Prepared For:
Professor Srinivasan Raghunathan
MIS-4330.501 / Database System Analysis & Design Fall 2014
The University of Texas at Dallas

Prepared by:
Stefan Sansone
Chris Rush
John Hughes
Jimmy Quach
Minh Ngo

Table of Contents
Contents
Table of Contents.

Executive Summary ...

2, 3

Problem Statement ...

3, 4

Context Diagram

4, 5

Use Case Diagram.....

Use Case Description - Make Reservation / Select Flight

Sequence Diagram Make Reservation / Select Flight ..

Data Dictionary...

7, 8

Use Case Description Provide Reservation Details ...

8, 9

Sequence Diagram Provide Reservation Details.

Use Case Description Earn Points...

10

Use Case Description Sign in / Register Mobile..

10

Use Case Description - Premium..

10

Sequence Diagram Earn Points.

11

Class Diagram.

12

Functional Specification for Proposed System

13

Proposed Database Design Diagram....

14

Proposed User-Interface at Airport Terminal for Ticket Agents..

15

Project Management Deliverables

16 18

Project Activities / Allocation of Activities to Team Members...

16

Planned Task Timeline / Execution Task Timeline

17

Minutes of Project Meetings.. 17 18

Works Cited. 19 20
1

Executive Summary:
In this case our goal is to maximize fliers per assigned aircraft used by United Airlines after their
merger with Continental. The problem lies with tying together both databases for United
Airlines (pre-merger used Apollo), and Continental (pre-merger used Shares) so that they can
increase their flight efficiency (Elliot, 2012). Initially, United Airlines decided on Shares as the
program they would use going forward post-merger.
Shares was accessing both database systems from United Airlines as well as Continental; which
was causing United Airlines major delays in retrieving information, as well as making any
database changes. This problem was primarily due to the inability of Shares not being able to
withstand the demands of both systems. Shortly after deciding to implement Shares as the gobetween program, United Airlines decided to switch back to Apollo to try and minimize the
problems that they were experiencing.
The cumulative effect of these problems decreased United Airlines income and share value
tremendously; as well as created a maelstrom of bad press concerning whether or not United
will be able to pull together into one cohesive unit after the merger with Continental Airlines.
Our focus will be providing a database that will physically integrate both United Airlines and
Continentals databases into one truly functional and exceptional database. We plan to
streamline query access and return times when the database is queued for information; but
more importantly, it will allow United Airlines to seamlessly integrate a system that will
maximize seating potential, as well as assign the correct plane to each leg of a flight.

All in all, this proposed system will ultimately enhance efficiency in all areas for United Airlines.
It will also improve the currently marred image of United Airlines to its customers. Once the
capabilities of the new database design are implemented it will not only reduce wait times at
the gate, but will also reduce overall operating costs since United Airlines will be utilizing its
fleet of planes with the utmost efficiency.

Problem Statement:
In this project we choose to improve revenue management, hub scheduling, and aircraft flight
capacity to help improve the efficiencies in the route and to minimize the cost for the merging
companies (Bloomberg Businessweek, 2014).

Current System:
In the current system, the customers are able to book a flight well in advance, which is
relatively cheaper than buying it the near the day of the flight. Unfortunately, system timeouts
or outages frequently occur due to the additional records from the United and Continental data
merger. The SHARES system chosen for the future of the airline was not user friendly with the
airlines ticket agents. The system requires the ticket agent to manually enter a large amount of
flight and customer reservation data into text fields. This manual entry decreases agent
production, increases their risk of errors, and creates a stressful environment at the airport
gate.
In addition, United Airlines is currently losing money due to inefficient coordination of matching
demands of larger and smaller planes on specific routes. The airline is battling long wait times,
3

over booking, under booking, and the system is incorrectly cancelling flights with multiple
planes and stops. The flight schedules should be maximized in order to increase the ticket agent
and customer satisfaction. Hub systems needs to be improve to help saving time on
connections.

Context Diagram:

The above context diagram shows the United Airways system for all important services for
booking a flight that is being proposed. This diagram gives a visualization of the flow of the
United Airways system, as well as how heavily it relies on customer involvement. It is an
important breakdown of the core activities that are conducted between the system and the
entities needed to perform a single transaction. The proposed system combines the two
4

systems of United Airways and Continental Airways into a single, larger system that is capable
of eliminating the redundancies that plague the current system.

Use Case Diagram:

This Use Case Diagram is a more detailed breakdown of the process by which a flight
reservation from a customer is processed within the United Airways flight booking system. The
diagram contains the different steps followed by the system in order to confirm a flight
reservation. The proposed system, though similar to the current system, allows the system to
process each transaction as if it were from either a United or Continental customer. The
proposed system also allows for capacity checks on every flight in order to reduce the
overbooking and under-booking issues that the current system has.
5

Use Case Description:

Use Case Name: Make Reservation
Primary Actor: User/Member
Stakeholders: Travel Agents, United Agents
Trigger: A user initiates make reservation
Relationships:
Includes: Select Flight, Provide Reservation Details
Extends: Sign In/Register
Normal flow of events:
1. The system executes Select Flight use case.
2. The system lists the flights details based on selection criteria.
3. Choose a flight
4. The system displays flight information
5. Provide reservation day and time data
6. The system provides available time slots obtained from flight.
7. Choose a time slot.
8. The system executes Provide Reservation Details use case
9. The system sends confirmation to the user
Exceptional Flow:
7a. If the user's preferred time slot is not available on the chosen flight, the user can go
back and choose a different flight.
8a. If the user would like become a member of United Member, the system executes Sign
In/Register use case.
8b. If the user would like become a member of United Premium Member, the system
executes Premium use case.

Use Case Name: Select Flight

Primary Actor: User/Member
Stakeholders:
Trigger: A user initiates make reservation
Relationships:
Includes:
Extends:
Normal flow of events:
1. The system displays selection criteria for search
2. Enter criteria
3. The system uses the flight database to retrieve the flight that satisfy the criteria.

Sequence Diagram: Make Reservation/ Select Flight:

Customer

United/Continental
System

Check-in Desk

Flight

SearchFlights()
Provide Availability
BookFlight()
Confirm Flight
BookSeat()
Confirm Seat
SendPayment()
Confirm Payment
CheckIn()

Check # checked in
Confirm # checked in

Confirm Check-in
BoardPlane()

Check # on plane
Check # on plane

Confirm # on plane

Confirm # on plane

Confirm # on plane

Data Dictionary:
a) Search Flight Criteria :
Search Criteria = [Search by airport| Search by Flight ID number] + Date + Time
Depart + Time Arrive + Arrival + Destination + Flight Type]
Date = Month + Day + Year
Time Depart = [12:00 am | 12:30 am | . | 11:30 pm]
Time Arrive = [12:00 am | 12:30 am | . | 11:30 pm]
Arrival = Place
Destination = Place
Flight Type = [Single Trip | Rounded Trip]
7

b) Search Results:
Search Results = [Flight ID List | Flight Airport List | Flight Arrival List | Flight
Destination List]
Flight ID List = Flight List
Flight Airport List = Flight List
Flight Arrival List = Flight List
Flight Arrival List = Flight List
Flight List = {Flight ID number + Region + Arrival + Destination + Time + Flight Type}
c) Flight Info:
Flight Info = Plane Info + Time Depart + Time Arrive
Plane Info= Plane Number + Capacity + Plane Type
Capacity = [20 | 21 | | 550]
Plane Type = [Airbus| Boeing| ]
d) Reservation Request Details:
Reservation Request Details = Flight ID + Date + Time Depart + Time Arrive + No of
people + (Seat Request)
Date = Month + Date + Year
Time Depart = [12:00 am | 12:30 am | . | 11:30 pm]
Time Arrive = [12:00 am | 12:30 am | . | 11:30 pm]
No of people = [1 | 2 | .. | 20 | larger party]
Passport Number = [B1234| ]
Seat Request = [Window| Middle| Outer Seat]
e) Availability Details:
Availability Details = Flight ID + Airport + Availability Status + Location + (Next
availability) + (Nearby flights)
Next availability = 1 {Day + Date + {Time slots}} 7

Use Case Name: Provide Reservation Details

Primary Actor: User/Member
Stakeholders: Travel Agents, United Agents
Trigger: A user initiates make reservation
Relationships:
Includes:
8

Extends:
Normal flow of events:
1. The system displays the reservation detail form
2. Enter reservation details
3. Send reservation details to the flight

Sequence Diagram: Provide Reservation Details:

Customer

United/Continental
System

Check-in Desk

Flight

SearchFlights()
Provide Res. Form
FillOutForm()
Check Details
Check Availability
Confirm Availability
Confirm Details
Confirm Res. Form
Form

Use Case Name: Earn Points

Primary Actor: User/Member
Stakeholders: Travel Agents, United Agents
Trigger: A flight send flight confirmation
Relationships:
Includes:
Extends:
Normal flow of events:
1. The flight provides flight data after the customer had flown that flight.
2. The system computes points earned
3. The system updates member file with points earned
3. The system sends the points earned message to member
Exceptional Flow
Use Case Name: Sign In / Register
Primary Actor: User/Member
Stakeholders: Travel Agents, United Agents
Trigger: A user wants to become a member
Relationships:
Includes:
Extends:
Normal flow of events:
1. The user provides user profile data
2. The system creates a new user record
3. The system updates the member database.
Exceptional Flow
Use Case Name: Premium
Primary Actor: User/Member
Stakeholders: Travel Agents, United Agents
Trigger: A user wants to become a premium member
Relationships:
Includes:
Extends:
Normal flow of events:
1. The user provides user profile data
2. The system verifies points earned
3. The system updates the member database from basic member to premium member
Exceptional Flow
2a. If the members has not earned enough point, the system notifies the member of how
many miles they had left to be qualified.

10

Sequence Diagram: Earn Points:

Customer

United/Continental
System

Fly()

Check-in Desk

Flight

Check If User Flew

Confirm User Flew

Confirm User Flew

CheckMileage()
Check Mileage
Confirm Mileage
Confirm Mileage
Award Points

11

Class Diagram:
(0,*)

(0,*)

(1,1)

(0,*)

(1,1)
(0,*)

(1,*)
(1,1)
(1,1)
(1,*)

The class diagram of the proposed system adds layers of reaffirmation that will help to solve
the inefficiencies that the current system has. Inefficiencies, such as near-empty planes and
over-booked planes, are extremely costly errors that this system will begin to fix. Capacity
checks and reservation confirmations are performed at multiple levels and at different times
leading up to the flight in order to make sure that all flights are properly booked. Each entity of
the system has methods to check and confirm the different details of a flight in order to ensure
maximum efficiency throughout the process of flying with United Airways.
12

Functional Specification Document for the Proposed System:

1) The systems database will keep records on airplane capacity to match aircraft size demand
by correctly swapping larger and smaller airplanes on route.
2) New flight tables will be added to the database to allow for correct cancellation of flights
when there are multiple planes and stops.
3) The system will take fewer flight reservations to leave more seats available for sale closer to
day of the flight.
4) The airplane database will be more equip to coordinate better arrivals and departure at it
hub station in Denver and Houston.
5) The user interface at the gate used by the airport ticket agent will be enhanced. It will have
less text field options, smoother mouse click workflow, and clearer depiction of flight check in
and capacity.

13

Proposed Database Design Diagram:

Flight Number 1
Flight 1 ID
Flight 1 Date & Time
Airplane Number (FK)

Ticket Agent
Agent ID

Reservation

Passenger
Passenger Number
Flight 1 ID (FK)
Flight 1 Date & Time (FK)
Reservation Number (FK)
Agent ID (FK)
Flight 2 ID (FK)
Flight 2 Date & Time (FK)
Airplane Number (FK)
Passenger Name
Passenger Email
Passenger Address
Passenger Phone
Passenger Payment Method

Reservation Number
Agent ID (FK)
Flight 1 ID (FK)
Flight 1 Date & Time (FK)
Flight 2 ID (FK)
Flight 2 Date & Time (FK)
Airplane Number (FK)
Reservation Date
Reservation Fare

Arrival Time
Departure Time
Terminal
Gate
Seats Purchased
Seats Available
Airplane
Airplane Number
Capacity
Model
Flight Number 2
Flight 2 ID
Flight 2 Date & Time
Airplane Number (FK)
Arrival Time
Departure Time
Gate
Terminal
Seats Purchased
Seats Available

14

Proposed User-Interface at Airport Terminal for Ticket Agents:

The proposed user interface includes more click based design instead of the current text input
interface. The user is able to swiftly move through the basic screen displays without having to
actually enter data manually. Also, the figure above depicts the screen that would improve the
capacity issue with United. The agent is able to quickly view the available seats based on the
information they entered for their initial search. The interface displays the total capacity, the
seats booked, and the seats available. There is also a check in tab at the top to easily maneuver
to the check in screen at the ticketing desk. This would allow the interface to directly work with
the database tables by taking the check in information and updating the seating availability
simultaneously.

15

Project Management Deliverables:

Dates

Project Activities

September 4,
2014

Exchange contact information

September 11,
2014

Collaborated and chose a topic for the Project

September 30,
2014

Worked on Process Model, Context Diagram

October 20, 2014

Worked on Executive Summary, Problem Statement, Functional

Specification Document

November 2,
2014

Work on Controls, Project Management, Database design

November 7,
2014

Continue the activities above this date

November 17,
2014

Schedule parts to fill in documents for final drafts.

November 24,
2014

Put PowerPoint together and finish presentation.

Member

Allocation of Activities to Team Members

Stefan
Sansone

Responsible for Executive Summary and Database design.

Minh Ngo

Responsible for Context Diagram and Process Model, Data model, and
Controls.

John Hughes

Responsible for Object Behavior Model, Class Diagram, and Software Design
.

Chris Rush

Responsible for Interface design

Jimmy
Quach

Responsible for Problem Statement, Functional Specification, and Project

Management Deliverables.

16

Dates
Planned Task Timeline
8/25/14-9/4/14
Exchange contact information- choose topic
9/5/14- 9/15/14
Research about the topic
9/15/14-9/30/14
Start on project Analysis and Intro
10/1/14- 10/15/14
Continue working on Analysis portion
10/16/28 10/31/14
Finish analysis and start designing
11/1/14- 11/15/14
11/16/14- 11/30/14
12/1/14-12/5/14

Continue working on Design

Finish Design
Finish project and presentation

Dates
8/25/14-9/4/14
9/5/14- 9/15/14
9/30/14-10/7/14
10/20/14- 10/30/14
10/31/14 11/2/14

Execution Task Timeline

Exchange contact information- choose topic
Research about the topic
Start on project Analysis and Intro
Continue working on Analysis portion
Finish analysis and start designing

11/5/14- 11/15/14
11/16/14- 11/30/14
12/1/14-12/5/14

Continue working on Design

Finish Design
Finish project and presentation

Minutes of Project Meetings

Dates

Time

Members

Activities

September
4, 2014

8:208:25

Minh Ngo, John

Hughes, Stefan
Sansone, Jimmy
Quach, Chris Rush

On this date we met as a group to discuss what

our project would be about.

September
11, 2014

7:308:00

Minh Ngo, John

Hughes, Stefan
Sansone, Jimmy
Quach, Chris Rush

September
30, 2014

7:009:00

Minh Ngo, John

Hughes, Stefan
Sansone

October 20,
2014

7:0010:00

Minh Ngo, John

Hughes, Stefan

On this date we went to the professor and

stated our project.

On this date Minh Ngo, John Hughes, Stefan

Sansone. worked on the Context Diagram and
Process model together.
On this date Stefan Sansone worked on the
executive project summary. Minh worked on
17

Sansone, Jimmy
Quach, Chris Rush

November
2, 2014

7:009:30

November
7, 2014

5:307:00

November
17, 2014

7:007:30

November
24, 2014

5:309:30

Minh Ngo, Stefan

Sansone, Jimmy
Quach, Chris Rush

Minh Ngo,
John Hughes,
Stefan
Sansone,
Jimmy Quach,
Chris Rush

John Hughes, Stefan

Sansone, Jimmy
Quach
Minh Ngo, John
Hughes, Stefan
Sansone, Jimmy
Quach, Chris Rush

the data model. Chris Rush researched

information for us to use in our project and
started on database design. John Hughes
worked on the class diagram. Jimmy Quach
worked on the problem statement and
functional specification document.
On this date Stefan Sansone worked with
Chris Rush on database design. Minh Ngo
researched on controls. Jimmy Quach worked
on project management deliverables.
On this date we all review the material we
done thus far and edit the information.

On this date we schedule parts to fill in

documents for final drafts.
On this date we recorded the presentation and
compiled the final draft of the proposal.

18

Works Cited:
Chen, Lujie. "Manufacturing Facility Location and Sustainability: A Literature Review and
Research Agenda." International Journal of Production Economics (2013). Print. Retrieved
October 2, 2014; Internal Library Link:
http://www.sciencedirect.com.libproxy.utdallas.edu/science/article/pii/S0925527313002399#
External Library Link to PDF: http://ac.elscdn.com.libproxy.utdallas.edu/S0925527313002399/1-s2.0-S0925527313002399main.pdf?_tid=3cba2cb0-c57c-11e3-8f8d00000aab0f27&acdnat=1397662493_85da7e2a14e3fd60a383d7ea1f15c78c
Elliot, Christopher. Could United Airlines Chaotic Computer Cutover have been Avoided?
Elliot, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2014 from http://http://elliott.org/blog/could-united-airlineschaotic-computer-cutover-have-been-avoided/
Bachman, Justin. United Remains the Problem Child of the U.S. Airline Industry. Bloomberg
Businessweek Companies & Industries 2014. Businessweek, 2014. Retrieved October 18, 2014
from http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-24/united-remains-the-ugly-stepchildof-the-u-dot-s-dot-airline-industry.
Mahmud, F. Shares vs Apollo an in depth look. Mahmud, 2012. Retrieved from
http://upgrd.com/fozz/shares-vs-apollo-an-in-depth-look.html

19

 Riegler, P. United Airlines Reservation Systems Crashes (Again). Riegler, 2012. Retrieved
from http://www.frequentbusinesstraveler.com/2014/02/united-airlines-reservation-systemcrashes-again/

20