BWI: Düsseldorf Airport Celebrates Unique IT Outsourcing Partnership with SITA

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: SITA
Tuesday, June 01, 2010 12:06 PM IST (06:36 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Travel & tourism; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Business services, Information technology, Media & entertainment, Travel & tourism; Technology
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Düsseldorf Airport Celebrates Unique IT Outsourcing Partnership with SITA


Düsseldorf, Germany, Tuesday, June 01, 2010 -- (Business Wire India) -- Düsseldorf Airport and SITA today hailed the success of a unique IT outsourcing agreement which has seen the airport manage 20% growth in passenger numbers while replacing its entire IT infrastructure over the last five years.

In addition to significant cost savings, the number of third party customers has grown to 250 representing 30% of sales for the joint venture, SITA Airport IT (SAIT), established five years ago by Dusseldorf Airport and SITA.

Thomas Schnalke, Managing Director, Düsseldorf Airport, said: "This is an important milestone for Düsseldorf and SITA as we have genuinely broken new ground for the air transport industry. Looking back over the last five years there is no doubt that we have proved the case for the value and feasibility of airport IT outsourcing.

"Through a period of 20% growth we have introduced cost-efficient technology that benefits our passengers, the airlines and all our tenants. SITA is delivering results that allow us to focus on the overall development of Düsseldorf to ensure its future success on the back of $350 million investment over the last five years."

The visible benefits of this investment are 320 workstations for airline check-in, 74 self-service check-in kiosks and more than 1,000 newly formatted flight information displays. SITA's Baggage Reconciliation System, which ensures the right bag, belonging the right passenger is on the right plane, has also been introduced to reduce the level of mishandled luggage.

Christian Jahncke, Managing Director, SITA Airport IT, said: "In addition to what we have achieved in terms of cost savings through the effective deployment of shared airline infrastructure such as the check-in facilities, data centre and telephone system, we are now looking at other areas for development. Innovative technologies in the area of professional mobile radio services, mobile workforce solutions and foreign object debris detection are all planned for the near future."

SAIT also manages airport TV, an airport customer loyalty card, car park online reservations and management, hosting of the airport website and 24x7call centre. SAIT received ISO certification last year which included ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) training for all employees.

Notes to Editors:

About SITA

SITA is the world's leading specialist in air transport communications and IT solutions. SITA delivers and manages business solutions for airline, airport, GDS, government and other customers over the world's most extensive network, which forms the communications backbone of the global air transport industry.

SITA's portfolio includes managed global communications, infrastructure and outsourcing services, as well as services for airline commercial management and passenger operations, flight operations, aircraft operations and air-to-ground communications, airport management and operations, baggage operations, transportation security and border management, cargo operations and more. With a customer service team of over 1,600 staff around the world, SITA invests significantly in achieving best-in-class customer service, providing integrated local and global support for both its communications and IT application services.

SITA has two main subsidiaries: OnAir, which is the leading provider of in-flight connectivity, and CHAMP Cargosystems, the world's only IT company dedicated solely to air cargo. SITA also operates two joint ventures providing services to the air transport community: Aviareto for aircraft asset management and CertiPath for secure electronic identity management.

SITA is one of the world's most international companies. Its global reach is based on local presence, with services for around 550 air transport industry members and 3,200 customers in over 200 countries and territories. In 2009, the company celebrated 60 years in business. Set up in 1949 with 11 member airlines, SITA today employs people of more than 140 nationalities, speaking over 70 different languages. SITA had consolidated revenues of over US$1.49 billion in 2009.

For further information go to www.sita.aero


CONTACT DETAILS
Brenda Flinter, Public Relations Manager, SITA, +353 87 750 6229, Brenda.Flinter@sita.aero
Sophie Schell, Manager Marketing, SITA (Regional Contact), + 41 22 747 69 60/ + 41 79 321 24 79, sophie.schell@sita.aero
Charlie Pryor, Director, The Wordshop, +44 (0)20 7031 8270, cp@theword-shop.com
Kerstin Grosch, LEWIS Communications, +49 (0)89 1730 1943, kersting@lewispr.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, TOURISM, MARKETING, BUSINESS SERVICES, IT, MEDIA, TRAVEL, TECHNOLOGY

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