SITA is a multinationalinformation technology company providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry. The company provides its services to around 400 members and 2,800 customers worldwide which it claims is about 90% of the world's airline business. Around the world, nearly every passenger flight relies on SITA technology.
In 1989 computer reservations systems, aerospace manufacturers, tour operators, airfreight forwarders, airport authorities, and other organizations in the air transport industry began joining SITA as members. The company today provides a range of IT solutions as well as infrastructure and communication services for the air transport industry, having evolved from its early days of providing only network related services. SITA presently operates in over two hundred countries and territories, and its customers include airlines, airports, airfreight — international freight forwarders, travel and distribution — global distribution systems, governments, aerospace, ground handlers and air traffic control. SITA is one of the most internationally diverse companies, having a strong local presence in offices spanning the globe, with staff speaking over 60 different languages.
Company structure
SITA is owned by members of the air transport industry, who make up the SITA Board and SITA Council. The company has the remit of working with the air transport community for the benefit of all members. This includes cooperation with industry bodies, such as IATA, ACI and regional associations, aiming to solve common industry issues through the use of IT and telecommunication services, through development of community systems, industry standards and shared infrastructures for aviation. SITA also produces industry surveys including the Airline IT Trends, Airport IT Trends and Passenger IT Trends Surveys, as well as working jointly with IATA on the industry’s Baggage Report.
Subsidiaries
;SITAONAIR Launched in 2005 as OnAir, SITAONAIR provides on-board connectivity solutions that enable passengers to connect to the Internet on devices such as laptops and smartphones as well as make and receive phone calls and text message; and access to wireless in-flight entertainment. OnAir combined with SITA's Aircraft business in 2015 to provide cockpit and cabin communications, and aircraft operations, including e-Aircraft, and is known as SITAONAIR. ;CHAMP Cargosystems CHAMP is an IT company working solely in the air cargo industry, providing services for carriers and distributors. In November 2011, CHAMP acquired TRAXON Europe, an electronic air cargo company, in order to prepare for new International Air Transport Association initiatives such as IATA e-freight and Cargo iQ. In July, 2020, TAP Air Cargo implemented the CHAMP API to further enrich its customer applications. ;Aviareto Aviareto is a joint venture between SITA and the Irish government. Aviareto and the International Civil Aviation Organization, the Supervisory Authority of the International Registry, agreed that Aviareto would establish and operate the International Registry of Mobile Assets.
Products and services
SITA's portfolio services include:
Airport operations, including total airport management, safety and security
Aircraft operations, including operational communications, e-Aircraft services * e.g. for EFBs), and in-flight communications
Baggage processing
Cargo operations
Commercial management, including distribution, fares and pricing, revenue optimization, and voice and convergence
Platform and Data services, including hybrid networks, airport operational communications, community messaging, and infrastructure management
SITA's shared infrastructures include AirportHub, AirportConnect, CUTE and BagMessage Services, as well as systems for passenger processing, reservations and fares.
support to the MSN ISP: Their internal communication network was rendered publicly accessible for years by MSN ISP through the 800 phone number witch the users were to use to register an MSN account. The ip address witch was assigned to the user during the MSN sign-up process was part of the SITA-NET.
Community systems and standards
The community systems provided by SITA for the air transport industry include:
CUPPS technology, a replacement for the CUTE check-in and boarding standard used today. SITA worked with IATA and other bodies to introduce this capability, which will save the air transport industry millions of dollars.
First service provider to achieve CUPPS compliance certification and to successfully complete its CUPPS pilot program.
SITA works with business partner Orange Business Services on joint projects, and is also involved with the industry research programs e-Cab, Total Airport, SWIM, and SESAR. Additionally, the company focuses on institutional and academic research through teams at MIT, Cambridge and Montreal Universities.
