SITA Upgrading Airport Services in India

More than 50 million passengers at 25 airports across India can now use SITA’s common-use self-service technology to check in at the airport.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has collaborated with the air transport IT specialist to deploy this new technology as part of its ongoing airport modernization program.

The AAI has also selected SITA to provide the baggage reconciliation system for 38 airports across India. The seven-year, multi-million dollar contract was announced on Thursday at SITA’s India Aviation ICT Forum in Jaipur, India.

SITA’s BagManager will deliver real-time information on baggage status, helping to resolve baggage issues quickly and efficiently. The comprehensive baggage management technology has been proven to reduce the number of mishandled bags by 10 to 20%.

Mr. Sudhir Raheja, Chairman, Airports Authority of India, said, “Our airport modernization program is designed to provide better service both for passengers and airlines alike as air travel in India continues to grow. With passenger numbers expected to reach 450 million by 2020, we need to ensure we are operating as efficiently as possible. SITA’s baggage systems, common use technology, and self-service check in kiosks are flexible, convenient and will help establish a firm foundation for future growth.”

SITA’s AirportConnect Open passenger processing platform will incorporate 730 workstations across 25 AAI airports, based on the International Air Transport Association’s Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE), Passenger Processing (CUPPS) and Self-Service (CUSS) standards.

This will enable all airlines using these airports 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 convenience. Passengers will have access to 34 common-use self-service check-in kiosks across the airports to help speed-up their journey.

Maneesh Jaikrishna, Vice President, India and Sub-Continent, SITA, said, “The Indian aviation industry is experiencing significant growth, and we are delighted to help facilitate the Airports Authority of India’s modernization and expansion program. SITA now provides services at more than 95% of AAI’s passenger airports. And we look forward to continuing to work together to enhance the experience at AAI airports for both passengers and airlines.”

The AAI is one of the latest Indian companies to become a member of SITA, a community owned organization. The AAI joins 450 leading airlines, airports, governments, air freight carriers and other stakeholders who are all connected over a single communications network covering 17,500 industry sites around the world.

“For more than 60 years, SITA has helped ensure that the industry’s critical communications and information technology needs are addressed and made available to all on a shared basis. Technology now plays a critical role in helping the industry operate smoothly—a great testament to the success of SITA’s community-based model,” added Maneesh Jaikrishna.

According to CAPA, India is set to become one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world over the next 20 years, with passenger numbers tripling to 450 million by 2020.