Back to Air Transport IT Review - Issue 1, April 2009

Airport News

Transforming airline operations at airports - using handheld devices

Delays on the ground caused by factors within the airline's control are a worsening problem for the industry. They result in billions of dollars of avoidable costs. In our latest New Frontiers paper, we look ahead to the next few years as mobility evolves.

If the aircraft turnaround procedure could be made predictable and flexible enough to absorb disruption, it could save the industry vast amounts. Wireless connectivity coupled with digital handheld devices will deliver this predictability and flexibility. It will integrate many disparate tasks into a single cohesive process that stretches from front-line workers to back office systems and across multiple process stakeholder organizations.

Our latest New Frontiers paper, "Transforming airline operations at airports - using handheld devices," considers how over the next few years advances in mobile devices and applications will transform the airport environment. Mobile devices will enable more predictability while giving airport workers the means to tackle disruption, avoiding potentially costly situations.

On-time performance

Along with improved disruption management and reduced at-the-gate delays, airport-based employees will be able to perform scheduled events both faster and better. The greatest efficiency gains and improved service levels will be seen in:

Ramp management
Line maintenance processes
Baggage management

New Frontiers paper

> Download SITA's recently published New Frontiers paper: 'Transforming airline operations at airports - using handheld devices'

Efficiency gains

Ramp management. Digitally logging tasks and work milestones will give supervisors greater oversight and control of events around the aircraft, putting them in a position to provide proactive management of the turnaround procedures.
Line maintenance processes. Deep-rooted, paper-based processes will be replaced with data-centric devices that can deliver to mechanics complete, up-to-date information without leaving the aircraft side.
Baggage management. Information scanned from baggage tags at different points in the baggage chain will be integrated with data from other systems to streamline the baggage process from check in to pickup at the final destination.

TAP conducts mobility proof-of-concept project

As part of its "Mobile Workforce Services" initiative, SITA is conducting a proof-of-concept project with TAP Portugal's Maintenance and Engineering MRO subsidiary to support the enhancement of its ramp management and aircraft line maintenance processes.

Key to the requirement is the enablement of daily work-schedules notification, real-time updates and data entry of completed checks using mechanics' mobile handheld devices.

The project is expected to deliver tangible operational efficiency benefits. Eng. Carlos Mendes, Manager of Line Maintenance, said: "I expect the ratio of work output to manpower to rise significantly for the operation at our hub in Lisbon."

Working with SITA and Appear Networks, TAP will benefit from a smooth transition from a manual work-process to a cutting-edge solution partially automated.

To achieve this, SITA's proposal is to connect TAP's existing back-end systems where MRO applications are deployed to the common-use "SITA Mobile Workforce Services" platform that will be deployed in multiple airports. This solution is based on a robust and proven mobile middleware technology developed by Appear Networks.

CUPPS goes live in Orlando

After four years of research and development, in late February SITA announced successful testing of ground-breaking CUPPS (Common Use Passenger Processing Systems) technology.

Since late January, passengers using Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet, at Florida's Orlando Airport in the US, have been both checked-in and boarded using CUPPS. The pilot programme will continue until mid-April.

At that point, it is expected that SITA's AirportConnect Open platform will be considered as CUPPS-compliant prior to a general product launch later in the year. CUPPS will eventually replace the current CUTE (Common Use Terminal Equipment) technology standard.

Cutting costs

The goal has been to develop a common system platform that enables airlines to use one application for any common-use installation as well as their own dedicated environment. The solution can be easily integrated with other airport systems such as flight information displays.

CUPPS brings cost savings associated with check-in and boarding passengers for both airlines and airports, while simplifying these processes for the passengers. The system is expected to save the air transport industry millions of dollars through the introduction of the first-ever, common-use IT application acceptable for use by all airports and airlines.

The development of CUPPS is an official IATA, ATA and Airports Council International sanctioned process and each has a Recommended Practice in place: IATA RP1797, ATA RP30.201 and ACI RP500A07. It is the first time that all three organizations have come together to mandate the development of a new standard for the industry.