Future investment by Middle Eastern airports is expected to focus on IT solutions that can help improve organisational productivity and efficiency, a senior official of Sita said. Sita, which works on developing technologies for the airport and airline sectors, has implemented a number of advanced IT solutions in the region and confident to upgrade the technologies in line with the significant growth in passenger numbers and traffic. “We are working closely with all three major airports in the UAE, mainly providing our passenger, baggage and telecommunication solutions and we have strong ties with the leading airlines in the country like Emirates, Etihad Airways, Air Arabia and flydubai,” Hani El Assaad, regional vice-president — Sita, Middle East and North Africa, told Khaleej Times in an interview. The aviation industry technology solution provider is working with airlines, airports and governments in the Middle East to improve security and enhance the travel experience of passengers by deploying new technology solutions. El Assaad said airports and airlines in the Middle East are already simplifying their check-in procedures for passengers with the recent implementation of CUSS kiosks deployed in both Abu Dhabi and Sharjah airports, allowing airports to increase capacity during peak times. Excerpts of the interview: Sita’s technology plays a key role in supporting the high passengers’ number at Abu Dhabi Airport. Could you please explain the key features? There have been a number of IT solutions implemented by Sita at Abu Dhabi International Airport, helping them to meet their business objectives by providing solutions to help the airlines and passengers to deal with the significant growth of traffic in the last years. It includes airport connect open, common use self service, remote checking solutions and MaestroDCS local, among others. Common use self-service application enables the airport to manage a much larger volumes of passenger pass through to the same amount of terminal infrastructure — the airlines that operate in the Abu Dhabi airport see 50 per cent plus usage of online and kiosk check. Etihad are putting more than 500 people a day through the kiosks. Do you apply the same technology in other airports in the UAE? We are working closely with all three major airports in the UAE, mainly providing our passenger, baggage and telecommunication solutions and we have strong ties with the leading airlines in the country like Emirates, Etihad Airways, Air Arabia and flydubai. Both Sharjah International Airport and Abu Dhabi International Airport installed Sita’s common use self-service, or CUSS, kiosks to reduce check-in times. Sharjah Airport announced the deployment of the world’s first CUSS kiosks with an Arabic interface in 2011. These kiosks, provided by Sita, are currently in use by passengers of Air Arabia, Nas Air, Sama, Indian Airlines, Indian Express and Jet Airways. Do you think the technology can help handling five million passengers annually at UAE airports? There is no doubt that the adoption of the right technology has helped the UAE airports to cope with their extraordinary growth where passenger numbers were flowing in and out at a much faster pace than expanding physical airport resources and space. Also, airport-airline-immigration authorities, working together as one team, is essential to make the passenger journey very smooth and less stressful. Today, technology can facilitate this collaboration, through integration of systems and providing a common situational awareness of all resources and assets at an airport allowing managers make better decisions. Furthermore, we will see mobility gaining ground in airport operations where staff can access critical operational data while on the move around the airport using hand-held devices like tablet PCs. In my opinion, this will be the next wave of technological innovation at an airport. Mobile check-in and flight info SMS are the two most popular services worldwide. Does this apply to Middle East as well? Smart phones have a crucial role in the evolution of the mobile technology, and Sita has been developing mobile applications for some time now. We can also use our mobile phones to access any information related to our travel. I’m sure we all appreciate being able to check our flight status without having to leave the comfort of a cozy corner in an airport coffee shop or lounge. What definitely will make the next buzz is the adoption of the Near Field Communication (NFC) technology for digital traveling including mobile payment using a smart phone chip, be it to buy a ticket, get an upgrade to first class, or simply paying for an extra baggage weight. We’re only at the beginning with mobility in aviation, be it for pilots, crew, ground staff, and of course passengers. What new trends you anticipate in future? Future investment by Middle Eastern airports is expected to focus on IT solutions that can help improve organisational productivity and efficiency. In terms of IT infrastructure, the highest investment priority is expected to focus on passenger processing and services, along with passenger security and aircraft operations investment measures. It is well known that the Middle East air transport industry is one of the fastest growing in the world and Sita is expecting to see considerable growth in the uptake of self-service bag tagging and drop off, which allows travelers with baggage can check in either online at home or at a self-check kiosk and print their own bag tag. Also, advanced security systems will ensure rapid immigration clearance for the innocent majority of the travelers and cargo. Don’t you think technology can play a key role in minimiSing security hurdles for passengers while check-in? Indeed, actually all stakeholders including airlines, airports, security and immigration authorities strive to ease stress throughout the travel journey. Fortunately, technology is an essential enabler for making the process easier, faster and less strenuous to passengers. Sita works closely with industry bodies like IATA and ACI to develop and evolve solutions that enhance the check-in part of the process. Which are the main airports have Sita technology worldwide? Sita works with more than 2,700 customers in 200 plus countries and territories around the world. Some of the main airports are: Logan International Airport — Boston, Kingsford Smith Airport — Sydney, Athens International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, Abu Dhabi International Airport, Hong Kong International Airport, King Abdulaziz International Airport — Jeddah, Rafic Hariri International Airport, Bahrain Airport, Egypt Airports, among others. How Sita will update and upgrade its technology to meet the growing passenger demand in the region? In the Middle East, Sita has implemented a number of advanced IT solutions including self-service check-in facilities and sophisticated baggage handling systems. It is also working with airlines, airports and governments in the Middle East to improve security and enhance the travel experience of passengers by deploying two types of technology solutions. The first is based on the advance processing of passenger data — such as passport data — so that governments can “pre-clear” travelers and move them through the airport and across borders more efficiently. These solutions work seamlessly with existing air transport industry systems, and their deployment typically results in reduced fines and cost savings for all stakeholders. Another area of technological innovation is biometrics. This allows governments, airports, and airline to streamline the check-in and border crossing experience by automating identity checks, opening new opportunities for self-service and expedited passenger processing. In the Sita vision we see both of these technologies — passenger data solutions and biometric solutions—converging to provide even greater benefits to passengers, airlines, airports and governments around the world.