SITA forges partnership Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

SITA, the aviation IT specialist, has signed a new agreement with the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (GBIA) Computer Informatics Service Center to bring the latest to China’s booming airport sector.

Already a strong SITA customer, GBIA operates Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport which currently handles over 34 million passengers annually and aims to become one of the 15 busiest airports in the world by 2013 with a target capacity of 80 million.

GBIA Computer Informatics Service Center will now work with SITA to bring SITA’s AirportConnect Open common-use check-in systems and baggage management solutions to regional hubs in China which handle in the range of eight million to 20 million passengers annually.

Wang Jinshan, IT Director, GBIA Computer Informatics Service Center, said, “SITA’s common-use check-in systems are performing very well at China’s three main international gateways and especially so during the recent successful Olympic Games in Beijing. With the support of SITA's common-use platform, Beijing Capital International Airport handled a new record of 260,000 passengers daily. We hope more airports, airlines and passengers can benefit from these cutting edge common-use check-in systems, with Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport as a good example.

“Our goal now is to make that technology available to mid-sized airports throughout the country at an affordable price and with strong local support. Many Chinese airports are building new terminals to cope with growth in both domestic and international traffic. SITA’s cutting edge IT solutions will help them to attract new foreign carriers to China and generate new revenue streams.”

A CUTE (common-use terminal equipment) system can generate up to 30% cost savings depending on the scope of usage. The cost savings increase as more carriers share the system at check-in counters and the gates.

C.B. Tan, SITA Country Director, China, said, “GBIA is the first airport in China that has used our CUTE platform for both international and domestic passengers. This partnership will enable other regional airport hubs in China to access the most advanced CUTE Platform available on the market at a reduced cost of ownership, locally implemented and locally supported by GBIA’s own qualified staff.

“As airports improve their IT infrastructure, passengers will experience benefits throughout all stages of their journey through the airports from check-in to border control, security check, boarding and baggage handling.”

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