Delivering industry transformation through IT

Information technology (IT) has been the lifeblood of the air transport industry (ATI). The next wave of emerging technologies will provide great opportunities, far beyond the traveller’s mobile device.

To maximise these opportunities, companies need to find new and inventive ways to improve services, and to optimize operations. SITA’s industry know-how makes us ideally placed to drive air transport innovation.

> View the SITA film: Driving innovation in the ATI

Opportunities for innovation

We can already access and share information via the Internet from televisions, laptops, mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), from almost anywhere in the world. We want to connect and stay connected in ways never before possible.

Connection times are decreasing. Voice, data and video transmissions are increasing. Consumers are creating and disseminating their own content. Social networking is all the rage.

One thing is clear: consumer choice is driving new technologies.

3.3 billion people use mobile phones
Mobile phones outsell computers 20:1
Industrial countries average 100-percent mobile phone subscriber rates
Mobile devices proliferate at 38 per second, worldwide (the world's population increases by three people per second)
1.4 billion people use the Internet

Innovation challenges – industry transformation

Each wave of emerging technologies creates greater challenges. In the current economic environment, the ATI needs to think differently and work effectively as one community.

The ATI needs to consider:

Our consumers are digital-savvy and expect digital services and advances quickly – we must respond quicker, both as an industry and within our own IT departments
Our customers have many touch points with ATI companies – how can our services be delivered consistently?
Our digital technologies continue to advance – these advancements will need to be integrated into our existing systems
Our challenges demand cooperation and collaboration – we must establish common standards and practices in passengers and cargo

Seizing the opportunity to innovate

The need for the ATI to innovate has never been greater. Consider:

Economic conditions facing air transport put great stress on airlines, airports and other ATI businesses
Cost and profit pressures are intense
Increasing demand by the flying public can stretch systems to their breaking points

Fortunately, the opportunity to innovate is enormous – whether to reduce costs and optimize service levels or to drive new revenues via digital channels.

Opportunities to innovate throughout the journey include:

One-stop travel shopping portals and airline websites to plan and book travel
Mobile devices as personal travel folders and e-wallets – to pay for excess baggage, airport, duty free shopping
Check-in at any time before the flight, from almost anywhere, using a mobile or other connected device
Near Field and Bluetooth technology to ease boarding
Mobile applications to guide travellers to rescheduled flights and new gates
Mobile and PC connectivity in-flight, connecting to the plane’s entertainment system – plus viewing and interacting with multiple sources
Post-flight, location-aware applications to help guide travellers through the airport

Areas of innovation

Travel 2.0

Consumers and their digital lifestyles are driving innovation in the ATI.

Ninety percent of our customers carry a mobile device when they travel by air. They expect information to be available on their mobile devices – information that is directly relevant to them and their journey.

By 2011, travellers will spend an estimated 128 billion dollars online for travel in the United States alone.

Travel 2.0 empowers online consumers by delivering:

Fares search engines
Location tracking
User-generated content
Geo-tagging

Future digital developments will include:

Wireless broadband such as 3G and wiMax
Powerful mobile devices like Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android platform
A “mobile Web” that converges with customer applications
Rich mobile interactive environments – exploiting broadband wireless networks, changing how people work and interact
Context-aware applications combining personal preferences and social networks
Devices that generate and push dynamic workflows to us – so we accomplish tasks on the move

Innovation in aircraft

Next generation aircraft will be flying data centres. They will move massive volumes of data between the plane and ground systems.

Benefits will include:

Improved on-time performance
Improved aircraft turnaround
Improved flight safety and airworthiness

Innovation in IT and communications

IT and communications innovation will play critical roles in the ATI's environmental response – as we focus on reducing our collective carbon footprint.

Collaboration for industry transformation

SITA is driving industry transformation via collaboration and new IT products.

SITA Lab takes a collaborative approach between SITA and other industry experts to produce mobile technologies to meet current and future demand.

SITA is also an International Air Transport Association (IATA) Preferred Partner for Simplifying the Business – helping to implement innovative solutions.