SITA to simplify check-in for 580 million passengers and so reduce airline costs

Fort Lauderdale – 8 December, 2006
SITA today announced the worldwide launch of a next generation check-in application designed to reduce costs for airlines checking in and boarding 580 million passengers at over 200 locations worldwide. This follows the earlier successful conclusion of Beta testing with the Greater Orlando Airport Authority and Continental Airlines.

AirportConnect Open enables airlines for the first time to have their own proprietary applications running on CUTE (common-use terminal equipment), the most popular airline check-in and boarding system in use today, reducing pressure on airport space and providing airlines with greater flexibility in how they operate within the airport environment particularly in meeting seasonal traffic demands.

Robert Sloan, Senior Manager Technology, Continental Airlines, said, “SITA’s AirportConnect Open has reduced our training costs and we no longer have to go through certification or to maintain two sets of applications which is a major benefit to Continental. Our passengers benefit because it reduces the waiting period during peak periods.”

Catherine Mayer, Vice President of SITA’s Airport Services, said, “SITA revolutionized airline check-in systems in the 1980’s when we introduced the first common use systems for airlines, CUTE, just in time for the Olympic Games in LA. AirportConnect Open is a natural evolution which allows the use of proprietary applications in a totally secure, common-use environment where one carrier’s changes do not affect any other user of this system.”

Speaking at an industry event* in Fort Lauderdale, Mayer, said, “What began as a Beta test with the Greater Orlando Airport Authority and Continental Airlines, is now ready for worldwide deployment. SITA currently manages some 30,000 CUTE work stations for 285 customers worldwide, checking in an estimated 580 million passengers a year. AirportConnect Open has been developed in response to our customers’ requests.”

AirportConnect Open enables all airlines to access their proprietary or common-use check-in and boarding applications, from any location at an airport, on shared-use equipment. It also eliminates the need for recertification of applications, as is required in the existing CUTE environment. SITA is the only industry partner with this capability.

Contact Information

Brenda Flinter

PR Manager

SITA

Contact via E-mail