Regional e-newsletter AFR H2 2008
H2 | October 2008 |
Africa |
Welcome
In an attempt to simplify your reading experience we have modified our regional Newsletter’s look and feel into a user-friendly format. In 2009, we will be sending our e-News twice a year: one in March, the second in October. This 2008 pilot issue is released in November exceptionally. We welcome your feedback and comments at our mailbox: info.africa@sita.aero
We hope you enjoy this last issue for 2008.
Africa Focus
Kenya Airways selects SITA’s VSAT network in $10 million deal
Kenya Airways announced a five-year $10 million agreement with SITA which will see the national carrier switch to Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) in a move that will increase the airline’s network capacity five-fold and increase availability to 99.7%, without any increase in operational costs.
VSAT is a low-cost technology for deploying satellite networks. In Africa, VSAT is more reliable than terrestrial links and ensures fewer outages. For Kenya Airways, this network is designed to allow each of the airline’s 46 remote sites to have a single satellite hop to both the head offices in Nairobi and the reservations host in Europe, which will ensure better application response times.
SITA is a leader in the provision of VSAT services with an installed base of 11 hubs and 600+ remote stations. Within Africa, SITA - with its partner Orange Business Solutions - has deployed several large VSAT networks for various international organizations. Currently SITA is deploying a similar size network for Air France in Africa and has already deployed VSAT networks for Air Tanzania and Air Madagascar.
See what Titus Naikuni (Group Managing Director and CEO, Kenya Airways), Kevin Kinyanjui (Information Systems Director, Kenya Airways) and Khodr Akhil (Regional Vice President, SITA), have to say about this VSAT deal.
Tunisair and SITA complete IT outsourcing deal
SITA announced the establishment of a joint venture with Tunisair and local partner, MEDSOFT, for the complete outsourcing of the national carrier’s IT needs for the next ten years.
At a ceremony in Tunis during the AGM of the Arab Air Carriers Organization, SITA CEO Francesco Violante, said: “This is the largest outsourcing deal SITA has ever signed with an airline and provides us with a welcome opportunity to work with a progressive partner in the deployment of the very latest IT technology.”
Nabil Chettaoui, Tunisair Group CEO and President, said: “This strategic partnership is a major milestone in the history of our airline, allowing us to leverage the knowledge and expertise of SITA, the only major IT provider owned by the air transport community. Our joint venture will be known as AISA – Aviation IT Services Africa (based in Tunis) – and will modernize our administrative and operational systems, reducing our costs through the smart use of the latest IT technology.”
The CEO of MEDSOFT, Mondher Benayed, said: “This is a very significant business development for Tunisair and we are pleased to have been chosen as the local partner to actively move this joint venture forward. Tunisia is well known for the availability of good talent in the ICT sector. MEDSOFT will assign skilled local resources to work closely with AISA in order to become its privileged partner.”
Events
Come and meet us
During November and December a series of industry events will be taking place in Africa, where SITA is actively present. Check our 2008 events calendar for more details on the following events: SITA Golf Day, AVEX Air show & Aviation Expo, AACO Technical Forum, 40th AFRAA AGM and Special AFI RAN Meeting.
SITA Golf Day
Johannesburg, South Africa: 4 November
For the eight consecutive year, SITA's Executive Golf Challenge has become a traditional event. More than 100 executives within the Aviation and Telecommunication Industry in South Africa, as well as Government officials , will be attending this years Golf Day, to be held on 4 November, 2008 at the Dainfern Country Club . Main sponsors of the SITA Golf Challenge are Transtel, CSS Tirisano and BCX.
Avex Air Show & Aviation Expo
Cairo, Sharm El-Sheikh: 5-8 November
Endorsed by the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority, AVEX is a four day event taking place at Sharm El Sheikh International Airport. It includes an aviation expo, a dynamic air show, aircraft showcase and static displays, press conferences and side events. It will be preceded by a full day conference on 4 November. Come and visit us at stand D6. You will be meeting with our industry experts and have the opportunity to learn more about our latest solutions and watch onsite demonstrations. For more details, visit the event Web site.
AACO Technical Forum
Cairo, Egypt: 10-13 November
AACO will be holding its 5th Technical Forum in Cairo from 10 till 13 November 2008 under the theme: Technically Green, Technically Safe. Topics will range from Aviation Environment, Safety, Security, to the latest developments in the industry. Frederic Falise, Director of SITA Environmental Program, will be a keynote speaker on day one. On day 3, SITA’s Ron Excell, Senior Product Manager, SITA Aircraft Communications will be presenting SITA AIRCOM Server, Fuel Conservation Monitor Tool. SITA is a sponsor of the event.
40th AFRAA AGM
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: 24-25 November
The 40th Annual General Assembly of the African Airlines Association will be held at Ouaga Conference Center in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. SITA is a sponsor of this event. Bruno Frentzel, SITA’s Senior Vice President, Application Services will be a keynote speaker at the event.
> Download the provisional programme.
Special Africa - Indian Ocean (AFI) Regional Air Navigation (RAN) Meeting
Durban, South Africa: 24-29 November
The AFI RAN meeting will be held from 24 till 29 November in Durban, South Africa. SITA a sponsor of the event will be submitting a working paper on ATC VSAT network integration and consolidation. More details available at the ICAO Web site.
Were you there
During the month of October, SITA representatives participated at the AASA AGM, 41st AACO AGM and the Symposium on Future Technologies and solutions for ATMA. Check out our 2008 events calendar for more details.
AASA AGM
South Africa: 9-12 October
The Airline Association of Southern Africa held its 2008 Annual General Meeting and Conference earlier this October in South Africa. Steve Duley, SITA Sales Director, Southern Africa presented the results of the SITA / Air Transport Word 2008 Passenger Self Service Survey to AASA members and other delegates. The presentation raised a big interest and will be followed by additional meetings with the interested parties.
41st AACO AGM
Tunis, Tunisia: 21-23 October
A SITA delegation headed by SITA’s CEO, Francesco Violante attended the 41st AACO AGM in Tunis. SITA had the opportunity to disclose Africa’s latest deal with Tunisair during a Press briefing session on 22 October (Full details are available in the Africa Focus Section of our e-News). For more information, go to: www.aaco.org
Symposium on Future Technologies and Solutions for ATMA
Yaoundé, Cameroon: 22-24 October
This ATC seminar organized by ASECNA took place in Cameroon on 22-24 October at the Hilton Hotel. SITA – a sponsor of the event - had a speaking slot. Emnet Meheret Gebru, ATM Business Development Manager, Communication Services, SITA, presented two topics, FANS - worldwide implementation progress and ADS-B implementation feedback.
Strategic insight
Listen to our latest webcasts and webinars
New generation aircraft communications - the airlines' challenge
What are the business transformation imperatives resulting from a new generation of aircraft systems? With new generation communications systems becoming standard in the new A380 and B787 aircraft models what are the challenges and opportunities?
Passenger Self-Service trends and adoption
Hear about the findings of the 2008 Passenger Self-Service Survey by SITA and Air Transport World. Our annual survey interviewed over 2,000 passengers at the gates of six of the world leading airports: Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson airport, Paris Charles de Gaulle International airport, Mumbaï International airport, Johannesburg International airport, Sao Paulo – Guarulhos International airport and Moscow Domodedovo International airport. See also: "Global passenger survey highlights explosive growth in self-service but baggage is next challenge".
Next generation communication
Building next generation communication infrastructures. What are the benefits of multi-service common use architecture at airports? And what innovation opportunities will next generation infrastructures deliver? How can initiatives to improve operational efficiencies be best balanced against the costs and challenging budgets?
Also look out for our forthcoming webcast: ‘How IT can help airlines meet the environmental regulatory burden,’ scheduled for 3 December.
For all webcasts register and listen to the experts here: www.atwonline.com/webcasts
Airport IT Trends Survey 2008
The fifth annual Airport IT Trends Survey of investment trends among the world’s top airport operators has found they are focussing heavily on attracting passengers but some are also fearful of IT budget cuts.
Improving customer service and satisfaction emerges as the high priority investment driver for 80% of the world’s airport operators in the Survey carried out by SITA in conjunction with Airline Business and the Airports Council International (ACI).
Also watch for the November issue of SITA’s Air Transport IT Review.
Community and innovation
Opportunities to innovate at every point of the journey! See our video ‘Driving innovation in the ATI’
Launched earlier this year SITA Lab aims to drive innovation for the air transport industry by working both independently and in partnership with others. New concepts will be evaluated by means of an Innovation Knowledge Management system that will be open to employees, customers and partners.
It will create what the company is calling an “innovation ecosystem” for the air transport community. Ideas with the greatest potential will be incubated using rapid prototyping and joint customer pilots, with the objective of creating new SITA products and services.
The potential is huge and there are opportunities to innovate at every point of the journey, from planning, shopping, check-in and boarding to in-flight management of disruption, arrival, immigration, and more.
See our latest video on the exciting potential for innovation within the industry.
More airlines adopt border security service
An increasing number of airlines flying to and from the US are adopting SITA’s real-time passenger screening service to meet the new security requirements set by the US Department of Homeland Security. To date about 15 airlines from around the world have already signed up to the service and interest is increasing further as airlines look for simple and quick ways to comply with the security rules.
The first airlines set to meet the latest US Custom Border Protection (CBP) security requirements by deploying SITA’s technology include Aerosvit, Air New Zealand, Japan Airlines, Thai Airways, Aviasca, Malaysia Airlines and United Airlines, among others.
Background
The moves come on the back of the important development, as of 17 August this year, in which airlines operating flights to/from the United States are required by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to be compliant with new rules governing the provision of interactive API. (In the US, this is referred to as “API Quick Query” or “AQQ”.)
SITA’s Advance Passenger Information Quick Query (APIS AQQ) system screens passengers at the time of check-in with airlines receiving immediate notification from the CBP to issue, or not to issue, boarding passes. The deadline set for all airlines flying to and from or over the US to use the AQQ service was August 17th, 2008.
An AQQ first
SITA became the first IT provider worldwide - earlier this year - to receive US Government approval to transmit AQQ data on behalf of its airline customers, delivering a key element of the company’s strategy to assist airlines in simplifying and lowering the cost of complying with government security requirements.
See also: Over 50 airlines flying into India will use SITA to meet new Indian government requirements for the provision of advance passenger information. SITA already provides such services in Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Kuwait, UK, USA, New Zealand and Spain.
Air Transport IT Review
Remember to check the latest copy of SITA’s Air Transport IT Review. The latest issue covers: Aviation action on climate change, Next generation air transport communications, Evolution of smarter borders, Simplifying the business – next steps, Smart phones, smart passengers and more.
SITA
Contact us for enquiries related to this publication.
Information is subject to change without notice. All trademarks ackowledged SITA 2012.
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