As more passengers take to the skies, the existing aviation infrastructure is being put under tremendous strain. Reducing bottlenecks and streamlining the experiences for passengers and staff is no longer a luxury. It has become a necessity. This is where SITA steps in.
Speaking to Economy Middle East, Selim Bouri, president, Middle East & Africa, SITA, explains how the company’s solutions help airlines meet their sustainability targets and help busy airports handle more footfall.
Here are edited excerpts from an interview:
SITA is a leading IT provider for the air transport industry. How does the company utilize emerging technologies like AI, IoT and big data to enhance efficiency and passenger experience, especially in the Middle East, India and Africa?
Constant innovation is at the core of how we’ve become the global leader in air transport technology. We’re continuously looking for ways to incorporate the latest technologies across our entire portfolio, optimizing everything from passenger processing to the management of baggage and airport operations, and beyond. Several of our key solutions help our customers harness the power of AI and big data.
2024 has seen us launch SITA Airport Operations Total Optimizer, an AI-powered platform based on the principles of Total Airport Management helping airports optimize holistically across a variety of functions. Last year we partnered with Toronto Pearson airport to deploy a prototype of Total Optimizer that was integrated with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority’s data sources. Staff were able to dynamically optimize stand allocation plans, simply by setting the relative priorities of the airport, resulting in savings and greater operational efficiencies.
Optimization thanks to smart technologies extends to the skies as well. With SITA OptiFlight®, we’ve developed a suite of solutions using flight data and machine learning to determine the best fuel saving scenarios for all phases of a flight. This lets airlines contribute to their sustainability goals, boosting flight efficiency at the tail level and giving airlines visibility on the savings they’re making.
AI technology is also integral to SITA Smart Path, our biometric identity management Platform — and the world’s only proven fully end-to-end biometric passenger processing solution. Smart Path makes it possible for passengers to breeze through the airport using their face as their boarding pass after swiftly enrolling their facial biometric and journey details.
Airports, airlines and governments across the Middle East, India and Africa have a stellar track record of being ahead of the curve in terms of innovation. They are keen to take advantage of the most cutting-edge technologies, and we’re here to help. For example, we have recently deployed Smart Path to upgrade the passenger experience at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport and Casablanca’s Mohammed V Airport.
Last year we also secured a landmark deal with Airports Authority of India to support one of the biggest growth markets globally, ushering passenger processing systems across 44 of the country’s largest airports into the digital age. We’re deploying cloud-based technologies for passengers and baggage, with modern and efficient common use technology to support India’s expected meteoric growth in air traffic.
Can you discuss some of the unique challenges faced by the aviation industry in the region? What are some of your solutions that are tailored to this market?
The aviation industry in the Middle East is evolving rapidly, with soaring passenger numbers including peaks during major religious and sporting events, which strain existing infrastructure. Airports and airlines need to efficiently manage increasing passenger volumes and a complex operating environment, while enhancing the travel experience and ensuring safety and security.
We’re working closely with our partners to make this possible. As mentioned above, we’re bringing the benefits of biometrics to key regional hubs, reducing bottlenecks and streamlining the experience for both passengers and staff. Taking Digital Travel in the region a step further, we’re championing the implementation of Digital Travel Credentials (DTCs) to ensure a seamless end-to-end journey with identity verification and pre-clearance of travelers before they even reach the border. Having created the world’s first true DTC based on ICAO standards, we’re currently running DTC trials with Saudia, Qatar Airways, and Royal Air Maroc.
In what ways is SITA contributing to sustainability efforts within the aviation industry in the region?
The aviation industry faces the urgent challenge of reducing its carbon footprint. Governments and aviation authorities are introducing stringent regulations, including EU-ETS and sustainable aviation fuel mandates. Airlines are also under growing pressure to meet corporate clients’ and passengers’ growing environmental expectations, leading to significant financial and reputational challenges.
With industry net-zero goals coming into view, sustainability and enabling concrete emissions reductions remain at the heart of our offering. Our partners in the Middle East are keen to invest in technologies supporting this, and together we’re pioneering advanced sustainability solutions.
We’ve recently partnered with the Arab Air Carriers’ Organization (AACO) to pilot a Sustainability Management Solution allowing airlines to measure and manage their operational carbon footprint while meeting fast-evolving sustainability requirements. This unique decision-making tool seamlessly connects diverse data sources, using cutting-edge analytics and predictive modelling to detail the impact of regulations on operations and emissions. This helps airlines stay compliant, with more accurate reporting of emissions to both regulatory bodies and passengers, and the ability to identify emission reduction opportunities.
Furthermore, our Airport Operations Total Optimizer solution brings sustainability into the heart of operational decision making, allowing airports to monitor and report energy usage, emissions from aircraft and other vehicles, and their carbon footprint, ultimately helping them understand and reduce their environmental impact.
SITA has announced record results for 2023, with revenues reaching almost $1.5 billion and a significant rise in margins and EBITDA. What are your plans for the rest of the year to sustain and even surpass this growth?
Looking to the future, we remain dedicated to reinventing travel and transport. We will continue our trailblazing work on Digital Travel, bringing the benefits of end-to-end biometrics and Digital Travel Credentials to more partners globally.
We’re also staying ahead of the curve in terms of emerging travel trends. Travel is becoming increasingly intermodal, with data from our 2024 Passenger IT Insights report indicating that 65 percent of travelers expect to book an intermodal trip in the next year. We have the expertise to support with this, and we’re applying our decades of experience in air travel to enable seamless door-to-door travel across land, sea and air. From combined check-in that unifies rail, cruise and airline systems, to baggage tracking and real-time updates across every leg of the journey, we’re making it all a reality.
Our recent strategic acquisitions and partnerships are further fortifying our global industry leadership, extending the benefits of our cutting-edge solutions to industries beyond air transport. Acquiring Materna IPS, global leader in the self-bag drop market, will create the world’s most powerful passenger portfolio for airports and digital travel. And through an agreement with Columbia Shipmanagement, a world-class maritime service provider, we’ve launched SmartSea. SmartSea will bring our state-of-the-art technology to the maritime industry, reshaping it the way we’ve reshaped aviation.
Selim Bouri is president, Middle East & Africa, SITA
For more interviews, click here.
