SITA elevates travel through AI and digital technology | TTG Asia

SITA has achieved record results for 2023 as revenues reached almost US$1.5 billion, with all signs so far in 2024 indicating similar positive performance this year, revealed CEO David Lavorel during SITA’s Annual General Assembly held in June.

SITA has also seen record contracts and partnerships to transform travel at airports and borders, through digital identities, biometric and mobile-enabled self-service, and digital borders. Examples include biometric touch points for airline passengers at Frankfurt Airport, a digital travel and sustainability collaboration with the Arab Air Carriers Organization, and continued trials in Aruba using ICAO’s Digital Travel Credential standard.

In addition, SITA’s agreement with the Airports Authority of India will see the latest passenger processing solutions and cloud-enablement for 44 airports in India, preparing the country for a future of increasing growth in passenger traffic.

Furthermore, the launch of new services for the SITA Connect Go SD-WAN solution gives the industry the opportunity to achieve this goal, as a platform for industry digitalisation. Qatar Airways and Biman Bangladesh Airlines became early customers, using the solution to help fuel growth.

In another major trend, collaborative IT for aircraft is helping to make flights more efficient and sustainable, using artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven operational tools.

In 2023, airlines like Azul, Singapore Airlines, AIX Connect, Vistara, and more, eagerly took on SITA OptiFlight to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by better planning fight paths. AI and flight optimisation services are critical to help aviation’s journey to a carbon net-zero future.

This year has also has seen the launch of SITA Total Airport Optimizer, which uses an AI-powered platform to help airports manage every aspect of their operations. This was followed by SITA’s acquisition of Materna IPS.

Through an agreement with Columbia Ship management, SITA then launched SmartSea, which will reshape the maritime industry by giving it access to the same advanced technology that is transforming the air transport industry. The launch comes as part of SITA’s expansion into cruise and rail, as well Urban Air Mobility, such as Vertiports.

SITA also acquired ASISTIM, a company renowned for its managed airline flight operations services, paving the way for airlines of all sizes to outsource part of their flight operations through a fully-fledged airline flight Operations Control Center managed service.

Lavorel remarked: “Our portfolio developments and innovations are preparing the industry for the years ahead, delivering seamless and touchless journeys, operational efficiency, resilience and agility, sustainability, and more.

“Major trends such as digitalisation and sustainability will uproot the way we work, forever. For 75 years we’ve helped air transport step into the future. Now we’re positioned to help the wider travel and transport industries to create ever more frictionless journey experiences, achieve operational efficiencies and resilience, and address sustainability requirements.”