SITA (IT company)

SITA
Private
Industry Air transport communications and information technology
Predecessor Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques
Headquarters Geneva[1]
Area served
 Worldwide
Key people
 Francesco Violante (CEO)[2]
Services
  • Airline and cargo operations
  • Commercial management and passenger operations
  • Flight operations
  • Aircraft operations
  • Air-to-ground communications
  • Airport management and operations
  • Baggage operations
  • Transportation security and border management
  • Communications and infrastructure
  • Outsourcing services
Revenue US$1.63 billion
Number of employees
 4,500[3]
Subsidiaries
  • CHAMP Cargosystems
  • Aviareto
  • OnAir
Website www.sita.aero

SITA is a multinational information technology company providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry. The company provides its services to over 430 members and 2,800 customers worldwide which is around 90% of the world's airline business.[4]

History

SITA or Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques, was founded in February 1949 by 11 airlines in order to bring about shared infrastructure cost efficiency by combining their communications networks. The 11 original airlines were: Air France, KLM, Sabena, Swissair, TWA, British European Airways Corporation (BEAC), British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), British South American Airways (BSAA), Swedish A.G.Aerotransport, Danish Air Lines, and Norwegian Air Lines . SITA was the first company to handle data traffic in real time via a packet switched network over common carrier leased lines.[5]

Expansion

In 1989 computer reservations systems, aerospace manufacturers, tour operators, airfreight forwarders, airport authorities, and other organizations in the air transport industry began joining SITA as members.[5] The company today provides a range of IT solutions as well as infrastructure and communication services for the air transport industry, having evolved from its early days of providing only network services.

SITA presently operates in over 200 countries and territories, and its customers include airlines, airports, airfreight — international freight forwarders, travel and distribution — Global Distribution Systems, governments, aerospace, ground handlers and Air Traffic Control.[4]

Company structure

SITA is owned by members of the air transport industry, who make up the SITA Board and SITA Council. The company has the remit of working with the air transport community for the benefit of all members. This includes cooperation with industry bodies, such as IATA, ACI and regional associations, aiming to solve common industry issues through the use of IT and telecommunication services, through development of community systems, industry standards and shared infrastructures for aviation. SITA also produces industry surveys including the Airline IT Trends, Airport IT Trends and Passenger IT Trends Surveys, as well as working jointly with IATA on the industry’s Baggage Report.

Subsidiaries

SITA has five main subsidiaries.

SITA OnAir

Launched in 2005, OnAir provides on-board connectivity solutions that enable passengers to connect to the Internet on devices such as laptops and smartphones as well as make and receive phone calls and text message; and access to wireless in-flight entertainment. OnAir combined with SITA's Aircraft business in 2015 to provide aircraft e-enablement services.[6]

CHAMP Cargosystems

CHAMP is the only IT company working solely in the air cargo industry, providing services for carriers and distributors. In November 2011, CHAMP acquired TRAXON Europe, an electronic air cargo company, in order to prepare for new International Air Transport Association (IATA) initiatives such as IATA e-freight and Cargo 2000.[7]

Aviareto

Aviareto is a joint venture between SITA and the Irish government. Aviareto and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Supervisory Authority of the International Registry, agreed that Aviareto would establish and operate the International Registry of Mobile Assets.[8]

Com-Net Software

Com-Net Software is a turnkey provider of comprehensive passenger communication solutions with more than 170 systems installed across six continents.

SITA Bureau Services

In partnership with CANSO and Airways, SITA Bureau Services (SBS) brings Flightyield to market — an invoicing, collection and revenue management service for ANSPs and airports.

Products and services

SITA's portfolio services include:

SITA's shared infrastructures include Airport Hubs, AirportConnect, CUTE and BagMessage Services, as well as systems for passenger processing, reservations and fares.

Community systems and standards

The community systems provided by SITA for the air transport industry include:

Aiming to simplify communications and processes for air transport, SITA works with around 20 industry bodies and standards committees to set standards. The company has approximately 40 participants in 55 different Standards Setting Working Groups. The organizations SITA works with include IATA, Air Cargo Inc, Airlines for America, ICAO and the FAA, plus AAAE, ACC, Association of European Airlines, CANSO, OpenTravel Alliance, ITU, the World Customs Organization and the World Trade Organization. The Working Groups SITA is involved in include IATA Type X, IATA Common Use, ATA e-Business, ICAO AFSG, ACI ACRIS and Eurocontrol SWIM. Examples of standards include:

Research and development

The company's achievements include:

SITA works with business partner Orange Business Services on joint projects, and is also involved with the industry research programs e-Cab, Total Airport, SWIM, and SESAR. Additionally, the company focuses on institutional and academic research through teams at MIT, Cambridge and Montreal Universities.

Industry recognition

References

  1. ↑ "Main SITA offices".
  2. ↑ "Senior Leadership Team". About SITA > Management team. SITA. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  3. ↑ "Facts and Figures". About SITA > What We Do. SITA. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Customers". SITA AERO.
  5. 1 2 "SITA History". About SITA > What we do. SITA. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  6. ↑ "OnAir". Community & partners > SITA Subsidiaries. SITA. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  7. ↑ "CHAMP Cargosystems". Community & partners > SITA subsidiaries. SITA. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  8. ↑ "Join Venture for Aviareto".
  9. ↑ "CUPPS: The platform of the future". Check-In News, Analysis and Event.

External links

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