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Orlando Sees Continental Airlines Launch Innovative New Solution Allowing Use of CUTE and Non-CUTE Applications

Posted on: Tuesday, 2 May 2006, 09:00 CDT

SITA, the world's leading IT solutions provider to airports, and Orlando International Airport, today announced the successful completion of testing with Continental Airlines of a ground-breaking new integrated passenger processing solution. The Orlando International Airport is the only airport to operate this pilot program.

"This system is a completely integrated passenger processing solution that enables airlines for the first time to fully utilize their common-use terminal equipment (CUTE) or proprietary (non-CUTE) applications in a shared, secure and manageable environment, without the need for traditional certification," said Senior Manager Technology Robert Sloan, Continental Airlines.

"SITA's AirportConnect Open reduces our training costs, because it runs our legacy application - no re-training required. In addition, we no longer have to go through certification or maintain two sets of applications, which is a major benefit to Continental. And the advantage to our passengers is that they won't notice any increased wait times during peak periods," said Sloan.

Orlando International Airport anticipates major benefits for the 60+ airlines using the busiest airport in the state of Florida.

Orlando's Manager of Information Technology Projects, John Vinelli, said, "The overall objective is that Orlando International Airport will have increased utilization, flexibility, and increased functionality. SITA's AirportConnect Open should enable us to provide a straightforward solution to the facilitation of a common-use environment to the airlines at our airport.

"We expect continued growth in the coming years, and by optimizing utilization of existing check-in counter and gate resources, we can reduce potential construction costs and increase our operational effectiveness."

AirportConnect Open allows airlines to use the same application software on shared use AirportConnect CUTE workstations, as they do at dedicated check-in positions. Consequently, benefits to the airlines at the Orlando airport include:

-- Agents can utilize their existing dedicated applications, running on their existing operating systems, using either common use or dedicated peripherals

-- Same software functionality as in their dedicated workstations

-- Airlines can change their application software without affecting others on AirportConnect CUTE workstations

-- Certification and re-certification testing is not required

-- Personnel can train on only one application - their own - as opposed to learning a new application on a common use system

-- Airlines can expand and contract to meet seasonal traffic demands

-- New carriers can rapidly begin service with minimal expense

"AirportConnect Open is a key component of SITA's common-use passenger processing system, a total solution that enables our customers to maximize their resources," said John Jarrell, senior vice president of Airport and Desktop Services for SITA. "The Orlando International Airport is a very important partner to SITA, and we are pleased to test this new product with them and ultimately help them achieve their operational goals."

SITA's solutions are designed to help airports maximize security, combat congestion, improve operating efficiencies and reduce costs. They provide airports with the technology architecture required to take advantage of a broad range of IP-based services which are vital to the future of the air transport industry. SITA currently manages some 30,000 CUTE workstations for 285 customers in more than 200 airport locations worldwide, checking in an estimated 580 million passengers a year.

About SITA

SITA is the world's leading provider of IT business solutions to the air transport industry. We are the market leader in the provision of common use services to airports and the main provider of air-to-ground communications to airlines. SITA delivers a comprehensive portfolio of e-commerce solutions for airlines and is pioneering new technologies in other areas such as flight automation and transportation security. Motivated by industry concern for lower costs, asset optimization and an improved passenger experience, we aim to simplify travel and transportation. We have two main subsidiaries: OnAir, which is leading the race to bring in-flight mobile telephony to the market in 2006, and CHAMP Cargosystems, the world's only IT company solely dedicated to air cargo. SITA is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with North American headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, and recorded revenues of US$642 million in 2004.

Further information can be found at www.sita.aero

Source: Business Wire

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