New satellite connectivity to keep airports and their customers online

Keeping systems online is critical for any industry. But for aviation, where every second of downtime can disrupt passengers and delay operations, system blackouts can be reputationally damaging, costly, and also threaten the safety of schedules.

Sudden disruptions or entire shutdowns of normally smoothly working IT infrastructure will present immediate issues to resolve. With aircraft in our skies, there’s an essential need to guide them home to the ground with the utmost safety in mind. Our industry never compromises on that.

But consider the repercussions of a sustained system’s closure for aviation. Every second does count, though with every passing minute of blackouts, more complexity and cost are added to the equation. When hours pass by airport functions can take longer to correct. But it’s the airborne operations where a time-lag can cause the greatest issues. Aircraft can end up out of position, and crews out of their safe operating hours to operate the next flight.

A satellite solution to stay connected

Now there’s a solution, in the shape of our new satellite service for airports, airlines, and ground handlers to ensure that they stay connected, no matter what problems they encounter.

SITA Managed Satellites enables airports around the world to maintain vital communication at all times, even during blackouts or natural disasters that might otherwise disrupt our connections. Technologies in low Earth orbit (LEO) now address shortcomings on terra firma!

The quality and availability of the latest satellite technology mean that it’s now becoming a vital component within high-availability networks. Airports needing new ways to ensure they can maintain critical operations in whatever circumstances they face – even when adverse incidents strike – will find that SITA Managed Satellites can help them stay connected.

And it’s even a solution for airports, airlines, and other stakeholders, which are located in the most remote or infrastructure-limited areas of the world.

A fully managed solution

This fully managed service is now available in over 137 countries around the globe, offering primary, secondary, and emergency connectivity options that are tailored specifically for the air transport industry.

We’re taking advantage of LEO satellites to deliver secure, high-bandwidth, low-latency communications that keep airport systems running continuously. This is also true when other networks are struggling or have gone completely offline.

Meeting demand peaks and unexpected issues

SITA Managed Satellites not only support regular networks that are in high and peak demand but also maintain connections in the most difficult situations.

Recent global events have shown just how vulnerable traditional fiber and terrestrial networks can be. From earthquakes to extreme weather, power outages, and fiber cuts, airports large and small have experienced partial or complete outages. When mobile and broadband operators are unable to operate, SITA Managed Satellites will still function normally. It does so even when major hubs encounter network congestion during peak periods that can strain bandwidth and ultimately disrupt key services.

But our new satellite solution addresses these risks directly, giving airport and airline teams a SITA solution for keeping their operations running when it matters most.

Fast and cost-effective solution

SITA Managed Satellites provides a fast, cost-effective way to deploy connectivity even in off-airport locations, aircraft maintenance hangars, cargo hubs, and remote sites that don’t have any existing digital infrastructure.

This solution can also be used to deliver a short-term, temporary service that can be required for new route openings, seasonal operations, or rapid emergency deployments. It makes sure that ground crews and systems are never out of touch.

By delivering high-speed internet connectivity via established satellite providers, SITA Managed Satellites allows its customers to optimize operational performance. It delivers a blend of availability and cost-effectiveness to optimize investments in any cloud, on-premises, or hybrid computing environment.

This innovative solution keeps all parts of the aviation industry connected to vital platforms – even in the most challenging of times – and can even be adapted for other transport sectors and markets also. So, it’s not just for aviation – it could be for maritime, trains and automobiles, for emergency and relief operations, and more – although our travel industry remains our principal focus.

A 24/7 fully managed service

SITA Managed Satellites also integrates with other SITA connectivity services, offering customers a flexible, bundled approach to network resilience. And customers have the reassurance of having SITA’s global team providing installation, 24/7 monitoring, maintenance, and support.

As a reminder, the key features of SITA Managed Satellites include:

• A secure, aviation-specific satellite service that meets industry regulations;
• Full lifecycle management and support in over 137 countries and increasing based on our partner coverage;
• Proactive infrastructure monitoring to resolve issues before they impact operations;
• Optional bundling with other SITA airport connectivity solutions;
• Expert on-site support for surveys, setup, ongoing maintenance, and hardware replacement.

With aviation more reliant than ever on uninterrupted digital operations, SITA Managed Satellites gives customers the confidence and tools they need to keep critical systems live, even in the most unpredictable conditions.