• SITA providing technology for integrated view of operations across five airports

Cairo | August 12, 2015– The Egyptian Airports Company (EAC) has announced that it has chosen SITA as its technology partner for its airport IT modernization program at five of the largest airports it manages across Egypt. EAC is using a combination of SITA airport technologies to improve the passenger experience and increase efficiency across all these airports.

The five airports being upgraded include Sharm El Sheikh International, Luxor International and Aswan International. Over 10.5 million passengers go through the airports each year, with passenger numbers expected to grow annually by an average of 14%.

General and Pilot Adel Abdel Aziz Mahgoub, Chairman and CEO of EAC, said: “More and more passengers are going through our airports each year, so it is essential we have the very best technology in place to ensure we continue providing great service. SITA’s IT solutions enable us to have the foundation of business efficiency which underpins our service.

“Specifically, we are enhancing the passenger experience with new self-service opportunities and the latest baggage solutions, and using SITA’s world-class airport management system to manage flights, gates, baggage and most importantly – our people – more efficiently. Both passengers and airlines will benefit from the various efficiencies and faster aircraft turnarounds that SITA’s technology will deliver.”

EAC is using SITA’s airport management systems, which are used by over 150 airports worldwide, to balance operational efficiency with business results. The airport operational database and resource manager will provide EAC with an integrated view of operations and present active dashboards to monitor and manage both flights and resources.

With a focus on irregularities, the operations team can manage resources to reduce costs and improve both turnaround times and on-time performance. SITA’s departure control system also allows the operations team to do check-in and boarding for charter flights in the same way as scheduled flights so that EAC can optimize the use of both human and fixed resources.

Hani El-Assaad, SITA President, Middle East, India and Africa, said: “Everything we do is driven by the dual objectives of improving the passenger experience and increasing operational efficiency for airports. The Egyptian Airport Company has a high proportion of tourist traffic, which provides challenges, in particular the management of seasonal peaks and troughs. It is important to have the right resources for the peaks without having expensive redundant capacity during the troughs. SITA’s technology provides the business intelligence to manage airports as efficiently as possible.”

One additional area of attention for the airport company is baggage. It has chosen SITA BagManager, which uniquely incorporates reconciliation, tracking, tracing and messaging, to ensure comprehensive and efficient baggage management. SITA BagManager will help EAC improve the handling of the five million bags it processes each year, reducing the number of mishandled bags. It will also boost security and cut costs.

El-Assaad continued: “It is not just about providing technology for the operations at each airport. SITA’s technology now connects all five airports to the Central Command Centre at the EAC headquarters, so the central operations team has an integrated and complete overview of operations. This integration of data to provide a single view of operations is vital to use resources most efficiently at all times and across all airports.”

The six year, multi-million dollar deal covers Sharm El Sheikh International Airport, Borg El Arab International Airport, Luxor International Airport, Aswan International Airport and Abu Simble International Airport. SITA’s technology will ensure these airports are future-proofed for growth.

• SITA’s IT Infrastructure, Passenger Processing Platform and Airport Operations System Improve Efficiency, Passenger Experience

Baku, Azerbaijan | August 28, 2014– Air transport IT specialist, SITA, will provide the IT infrastructure, passenger processing platform and airport operations systems for Heydar Aliev International Airport’s new Terminal 1 in Baku, Azerbaijan. The new technology will transform operations, both for the airport and for Azerbaijan Airlines, enhancing the passenger experience with new self-service options and enabling the airport to handle double its current capacity.

Jahangir Askerov, Azerbaijan Airlines President, said, “In recent years, Azerbaijan has made major investments to develop the country’s air transport industry with support from Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. We need modern, integrated solutions to help us process passengers more quickly, improve our operational efficiency and help facilitate growth. The new SITA systems incorporate the industry’s most advanced technology and align with all IATA recommendations, as well as the latest industry trends. We also appreciate the convenience of dealing with a single supplier, SITA, for all our IT and communications needs.”

As part of the new deal, SITA is providing consultancy services in the areas of IT infrastructure and passenger processing, along with a full range of industry-leading solutions. SITA’s AirportConnect Open passenger processing platform will include more than 70 common-use workstations and 12 common-use self-service kiosks for check-in. With the new platform, Azerbaijan Airlines, and all other airlines using the airport, will be able to access their respective IT applications in real-time on shared equipment. They will also be able to use any airport desk, gate or self-service kiosk for passenger check-in and boarding for maximum flexibility and convenience.

SITA’s BagManager baggage management system will improve baggage processing efficiency, reduce mishandled bags, simplify baggage operations and help to ensure on-time departures. If bags are not delivered on time, SITA’s WorldTracer kiosks will enable passengers to check the status of their bags and file a missing bag report themselves, without having to wait for an agent.

As part of the new deal, SITA has also provided 145 new digital display screens and an advanced audio system throughout the airport terminal to keep passengers up-to-date on flight information. SITA’s AirportResource Manager helps coordinate real-time management of airport equipment, making sure resources are available when needed. SITA will support all new solutions for five years.

Dave Bakker, SITA President, Europe said: “SITA has worked with Azerbaijan Airlines for more than a decade, helping to facilitate its strategic growth plans. This project is unique in the region because we have provided both consultative services and end-to-end solutions, working in close collaboration with the airport, airline and other airport stakeholders.”

Azerbaijan Airlines, the national flag carrier of Azerbaijan, is the largest user of the new terminal at Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku. The terminal can process around 2,000 passengers per hour. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his family helped inaugurate the new terminal, which officially opened 23 April 2014.

• SITA provides passenger processing and baggage solutions for klia2

Kuala Lumpur | June 24, 2014– SITA, the world’s leading air transport IT and communications specialist, has helped provide a smooth start to flight and passenger operations at Kuala Lumpur’s new airport terminal, klia2.

SITA’s AirportConnect Open platform automates passenger processing for the terminal, which officially opened 2 May, helping the airport and airlines to provide exceptional service. The SITA Departure Control System reduces the complexity of check-in and boarding, and its baggage solutions, BagManager and BagMessage, improve baggage processing efficiency, helping to ensure on-time departures.

AirportConnect Open enjoys more than 70% market share among airports globally that have implemented common-use infrastructure. Around the world, more than 300 airlines use SITA’s AirportConnect Open to process millions of passengers every day in more than 525 airports.

Dato’ Azmi Murad, General Manager, Operations Services, Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad (MAHB), which operates the airport, said: “With SITA’s technology and support, klia2 is processing large numbers of passengers and their bags quickly and efficiently, for great on-time performance. Our operations would not have gone as smoothly without SITA. We are also delighted that all airlines – Air Asia, Malindo, Cebu and Tiger – are already onboard and using the new system. Our agreement with SITA has enabled us to procure bulk discounts for all airlines at both KLIA-Main and klia2.”

With passenger traffic at klia2 expected to reach 24 million over the next 12 months, SITA’s technology will serve as an important platform for growth. Using the new platform, airlines can access their respective IT applications in real time on shared equipment. They can also use any airport desk, gate or self-serve kiosk for passenger check-in and boarding for maximum flexibility and convenience. This platform is also ready for other self-service initiatives such as self bag drop, which falls under IATA’s FAST (Fast and Seamless Travel) program to offer more choice and control for passengers and lower costs for the industry.

Ilya Gutlin, President, SITA Asia Pacific, said: “We have collaborated with KLIA for nearly 10 years, helping them innovate and transform their operations with new technology. SITA’s AirportConnect Open helps enhance service quality for passengers, while further strengthening KLIA’s status as one of the world’s best airports. The platform serving both the main terminal and new klia2 enables the airport and its airlines to handle more passengers with the same resources.

“It also future proofs the airport infrastructure to enable airlines to deliver new capabilities to the airport quickly, such as enabling pre-departure screening of passenger data. We look forward to growing with KLIA and working with Malaysia Airports to enhance services and improve efficiency at their terminals”

The new 10-year deal with MAHB is an innovative extension of the SITA system currently in place in KLIA’s main terminal. Between the two terminals, SITA now provides more than 600 common use workstations, 110 common-use, self-serve kiosks and six mobile check-in units.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport is one of Asia’s major aviation hubs and is the 11th busiest airport in the world by international passenger traffic. In 2013, the airport handled more than 47 million passengers and over 600,000 metric tons of cargo. Since its inauguration in 1998, KLIA has won numerous awards from international organizations such as Skytrax and the International Air Transport Association. The airport was recently recognized as the second best airport in its size category, in the Skytrax 2014 World’s Airport Awards. It was also recently named traveller’s third favorite airport in the Top 10 Airports Worldwide category of the Smart Travel Asia 2013 Best in Travel Poll.

Ankara | May 7, 2014– Air transport IT specialist, SITA, is providing passenger processing and baggage reconciliation technology at Turkey’s newest domestic airport terminal at Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport. SITA’s industry-leading AirportConnect Open common-use offering will help the new terminal maximize its real estate, while providing airlines with an efficient and cost-effective solution for passenger processing. SITA will also continue to provide common-use and baggage reconciliation services for the airport’s main terminal.

Binnur Guleryuz Onaran, General Manager of TAV Information Technologies, a subsidiary of TAV Airports, which built and operates the terminal, said: “We have built a new airport terminal not just for today, but for the next 20 years. We need the best and most flexible technology available, which is what SITA has provided. We have been working with SITA since TAV was established in 1997, along with the tender for Istanbul Ataturk Airport’s International Terminal. So we trust its knowledge and expertise in providing industry-leading and future-proofed technology for airports.”

SITA’s common-use solution, which supports both the Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) and Common Use Passenger Processing Systems (CUPPS) standards, will enable the airport, its airlines and their handling agents to access their respective IT applications in real time on shared equipment. They will also be able to use any airport desk, gate or self-serve kiosk for passenger check-in, bag drop and boarding for maximum flexibility and convenience.

The airport will also use SITA’s BagManager, a real-time baggage management solution that helps reduce the number of mishandled bags, and SITA’s MaestroDCS Local, which automates passenger check-in, boarding and other functions.

Hani El-Assaad, President, Middle East, India and Africa, SITA, said: “As the airport continues to grow and expand, it needs the industry’s most innovative technology which SITA provides to ensure that passengers enjoy a smooth and seamless journey. This new deal is an extension of our strong relationship with TAV and further cements our position as the leading airport IT provider in Turkey.”

Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport provided services to 10.2 million passengers in 2013, an increase of nine percent over the previous year. Approximately 2.5 million of these passengers were international, while 7.7 million were domestic. The airport serves 54 airlines, flying to 86 destinations across the world and six airlines, flying to 21 destinations in Turkey. Over 6.5 million bags passed through the airport in 2013.

The new terminal, which serves domestic flights, officially opened in March and is now Turkey’s largest domestic terminal with an indoor area of approximately 200,000 square meters.

Moscow, Russia | December 16, 2013–

Moscow Domodedovo Airport has become the first in Russia and the CIS to install self-service WorldTracer Kiosks. Provided by air transport IT and telecoms specialist SITA, they enable passengers to report delayed bags without having to wait in line for an agent.

Passengers simply scan the bag receipt barcode on a kiosk located in the arrivals area to file a missing bag report. This fast and efficient reporting reduces the time it takes for a delayed bag to be reunited with its owner.

The kiosks are linked to WorldTracer, the global tracing system for mishandled baggage which matches found bags with lost bag reports. It provides a faster and more cost-effective way of reuniting passengers with their bags. SITA’s industry-leading Baggage Report, which reports the industry’s bag-handling performance, showed this year that the number of mishandled bags globally has dropped 44.5% over the past six years. In 2012, the industry mishandled only 8.83 bags per 1,000 passengers.

Domodedovo Airport Director, Igor Borisov, said: “The system of self-registration of lost baggage is an important element of the program for service development. Innovations like WorldTracer kiosks allow us not only to maintain the leading position, but also to ensure faster development of the airport”.

SITA has provided its world-leading IT and telecoms solutions to Domodedovo Airport for more than 20 years. As well as WorldTracer Kiosks, SITA provides Domodedovo with its BagMessage andBagManager products which ensure that outbound bags are processed quickly and efficiently so that they can be loaded on the correct departing flights. Domodedovo was also one of the early adopters of SITA self-service check-in kiosks.

Dmitry Krasnov, Vice President Russia and CIS, SITA, said: “Domodedovo’s implementation of more self-service technology is an important step in the airport’s development to improve the passenger experience. IATA’s ambition is for airports and airlines to give passengers as much control over their journey as possible and Domodedovo is at the forefront of these exciting developments.”

Moscow Domodedovo Airport has more passengers than any other airport in Russia and across Eastern Europe. Since 2010 it has been consistently ranked as the best airport in Eastern Europe by Skytrax. The airport plays host to 83 airlines, flying to 239 destinations across the world.

 

• New kiosks will shorten queues and enhance passengers’ travel experience

Mishref, Kuwait | December 9, 2013–

Kuwait International Airport’s seven million annual passengers will enjoy new self-service check-in kiosks in a deal with air transport IT specialist, SITA. The new kiosks, which are in the final stages of testing, are part of an eight-year contract renewal for SITA’s AirportConnect Open passenger processing platform.

Fawaz El Farah, President of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Kuwait, which sponsored the agreement with SITA, said: “Kuwait International Airport is growing at a rate of 5% annually. SITA’s self-service technology provides an efficient way to help manage these extra passengers, while enhancing their experience in the airport.”

Mohammed Hariri, Chairman of the Airline Operating Committee, Kuwait International Airport, said: “SITA’s passenger processing platform gives us more flexibility and enhances our operational efficiency as passenger numbers continue to rise. We’re excited to take this technology one step further and offer self-service kiosks in the airport for the first time.”

SITA’s AirportConnect Open enables airports, airlines and their handling agents to access their respective IT applications in real time on shared equipment. It also allows any airline to use any agent desk, gate or self-service kiosk for passenger check-in and boarding. Kuwait’s AirportConnect Open renewal with SITA covers some 200 positions at check-in desks, transfer and reclaim and 12 common-use self-service check-in kiosks.

Hani El-Assaad, SITA President Middle East, India and Africa, said: “The combination of SITA’s AirportConnect Open platform and the new kiosks will help reduce queues, while giving passengers more control over their journeys. In fact our studies have shown that the kiosks can help increase passenger processing speed by up to 25%, while making more efficient use of an airport’s limited physical space and infrastructure.”

Also included in the deal are SITA’s PassengerHandler, BagManager and PassengerBagdroptechnology. PassengerHandler helps reduce the complexity of check-in and boarding transactions for ground handlers and airlines. By providing access to multiple departure control systems over a single graphical user interface, it helps facilitate on-time departures. SITA’s BagManager provides comprehensive baggage management, including delivering real-time information on baggage status and helping resolve baggage issues quickly and efficiently. It reduces the number of mishandled bags by 10-20%.PassengerBagdrop is a software application that allows ground handlers who are using Common Use Terminal Equipment to quickly check bags for passengers using self-service check-in.

More than 300 airlines use SITA’s AirportConnect Open to process millions of passengers every day in more than 400 airports around the world.