Infrastructure alone does not determine airport performance – how that infrastructure is designed and used does

Airport performance depends on how effectively infrastructure can respond and adapt to changing operational demand.

Most airport terminals are built as fixed environments, while demand constantly shifts across passengers, flights, and operations. When demand moves, infrastructure must move with it. When it does not, bottlenecks form, efficiency drops, and passenger experience deteriorates.

Adding more technology does not completely solve this unless the underlying infrastructure can support it.

One year on from SITA and CCM joining forces

In March 2025, SITA acquired CCM to address this gap by combining digital systems with design-led infrastructure. One year on, the integration focuses on redesigning how airports operate.

Passenger processing becomes a connected system where space, technology, and operations are designed together from the start. This approach, known as technology by design, changes how capacity is created.

Traditional terminals allocate fixed space to fixed functions. Integrated environments allow the same space to adapt as demand changes.
Capacity is no longer defined only by space, but by how that space is used.

The practical side of technology by design

Technology by design changes how airports use space to create flexibility and efficiency.

Hybrid self-back drop counters show how this works in practice. They support both assisted and self-service passenger processing within the same physical space, allowing airports to shift capacity as demand changes without expanding infrastructure. This can increase counter capacity while reducing space requirements. In some deployments, terminal capacity and processing times have improved by up to 25%, and operational costs have been significantly reduced.

These gains come from designing space to adapt to demand, not from adding more of it.

Extending this approach across the passenger journey

The same principle applies beyond check-in. Each part of the journey is designed to work as part of a connected flow, rather than as a fixed, isolated function.

Self-bag drop units connected to real-time tracking systems link passenger actions directly to baggage handling systems, reducing delays and improving accuracy. Biometric systems streamline identity checks, reducing friction at key control points. Repack counters and service areas are positioned within the same operational flow, allowing passengers to resolve issues without leaving the process.

This model only works when infrastructure is designed to support technology from the outset. CCM integrates architecture, engineering, and construction with embedded digital systems, making sure operational capabilities are built into the physical environment. This reduces deployment complexity and allows new capabilities to be introduced with minimal disruption.

How does all this work in the real world?

The impact is already visible across large-scale airport deployments. At Fraport in Germany, 114 self-bag drop units demonstrate how automated processing can operate within existing infrastructure.

Across multiple international airport projects - such as Rome Fiumicino, Boudreaux airport, Geneva Airport and Shanghai Hongqiao airport - this approach has increased capacity without expanding terminal footprints.

Thanks to the collaboration with SITA, CCM counter technologies are now available in the United States market, including major projects at JFK and Boston Logan Airports.

Infrastructure design is also directly influencing sustainability outcomes. At Rome Fiumicino Airport, hybrid check-in counters use Porcelanosa’s KRION Eco-Active Solid Technology™ (K·Life), a material with built-in photocatalytic properties that can break down harmful air pollutants, provide antibacterial protection, and reduce the need for chemical cleaning. One square meter of this material can purify enough air for approximately 6.5 people per year.

What do the industry experts say?

JFK Testimonial:

“As we prepare to introduce Information Centers at JFK’s new Terminal 1 and Terminal 6, we sought a partner who understands how to combine operational functionality with passenger comfort and cohesive terminal design. We chose SITA-CCM for their expertise in technology-integrated environments and their thoughtful, passenger-focused approach. We look forward to bringing these spaces to life and delivering an enhanced, connected experience for our travelers.”

Sergio Colella, President, Europe, at SITA & CCM Chairman:

"Airports are under pressure to handle more passengers without the ability to expand infrastructure at the same pace. The challenge is no longer just capacity, but how effectively that capacity can adapt to changing demand. This is where design and technology must come together. By combining SITA’s digital capabilities with CCM’s expertise in physical infrastructure, we are helping airports unlock more performance from the space they already have, improving both efficiency and the passenger experience at the same time.”

Raffaella Repetti, CCM CEO:

"Passengers don’t experience airports as systems, they experience them as journeys. As travel continues to evolve, rigid structures are no longer enough. Passenger flows shift constantly, and infrastructure must adapt in real time without adding complexity. This is especially true across Europe, where capacity constraints and diverse traveller needs demand smarter solutions. By combining CCM’s design expertise with SITA’s technology, we enable spaces and systems to function as one - improving both efficiency and the passenger experience.”

Airport performance does not improve by adding more infrastructure.

Airport performance improves when infrastructure is designed to adapt to demand.

That shift is already underway.