Decentralised air traffic control shifts decision making to a local level, allowing decentralised controllers to focus on solving local conflicts. Since decentralised controllers have accurate local information at their disposal, they can adapt quicker and more efficiently to changing conditions. Consequently, it is suggested that the dynamics of an airport’s ground operation are better managed when using decentralised control. To establish an understanding of the mechanisms of decentralised control, an agent-based simulation model is designed and applied to the actual ground operation at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. By assessing the emergent behaviour of decentralised control to the actual ground operation managed by centralised control, insights are acquired in terms of the routing strategies, needs, and characteristics of decentralised control.