Queuing Networks

by | Jul 12, 2023 | Analysis

 

An airline security checkpoint may be modeled as a system of two queueing networks, one for trays and the other for passengers. Let’s focus on the queue associated with the passengers. The passengers arrive at a rack of trays to hold items to be X-rayed, load the trays, and then queue to walk through a metal detector while the trays go through an X-ray machine. The network seen by the customers consists of one or more guard stations at which identities and boarding passes are checked, followed by a queue for trays, and then another queue to go through the metal detector.
Identify the type of queueing network traversed by the passengers. Explain the effect on passenger delays of having (i) multiple X-ray machines and tray racks, (ii) too few trays, and (iii) a single agent for checking boarding passes and identity documents.
Propose configurations of X-ray machines, tray pallets, and ID inspection lines when the airport has a policy of giving priority to frequent fliers at the entrance to the security area. Explain what happens if the proportion of frequent fliers at a given hour is high or low.

 

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


This question has been answered

God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Sample Solution

Sample Solution

  • Single queue with priority lanes. This is the most common configuration. There is a single queue for all passengers, but frequent fliers are allowed to use priority lanes that are typically shorter. This configuration is simple to implement and can be effective if the proportion of frequent fliers is high. However, if the proportion of frequent fliers is low, then the priority lanes may be underutilized.
  • Separate queues for frequent fliers and non-frequent fliers. This configuration is more complex to implement, but it can be more efficient if the proportion of frequent fliers is high. This is because frequent fliers can be processed through security more quickly, which can help to reduce overall wait times.
  • Dynamic queue management. This is a more advanced configuration that uses technology to dynamically adjust the number of lanes and the priority given to frequent fliers based on the current traffic conditions. This configuration can be very effective in optimizing security throughput, but it is also more complex to implement and maintain.

The impact of the proportion of frequent fliers on security throughput depends on the configuration of the security area. In a single queue with priority lanes, the impact is relatively small. However, in a separate queue configuration or a dynamic queue management configuration, the impact can be significant. If the proportion of frequent fliers is high, then the security area will be able to process more passengers per hour. However, if the proportion of frequent fliers is low, then the security area may be underutilized.

Here are some additional thoughts on the configurations of X-ray machines, tray pallets, and ID inspection lines when the airport has a policy of giving priority to frequent fliers at the entrance to the security area:

  • The number of X-ray machines and tray pallets should be sufficient to handle the peak traffic load.
  • The ID inspection lines should be staffed with enough personnel to ensure that passengers are processed efficiently.
  • The security area should be designed to be easy to navigate and to minimize bottlenecks.
  • The security area should be well-lit and clean.
  • The security area should be staffed with friendly and helpful personnel.

By carefully considering these factors, airports can create a security area that is efficient, effective, and customer-friendly.

This question has been answered.

Get Answer