Source: SITA

  • Launch of the new AI-powered platform follows a successful demonstration in 2023 with Canada’s Greater Toronto Airports Authority

SITA, a leading technology company in the air transport industry, has launched its trailblazing airport management tool, the SITA Airport Operations Total Optimizer, during the Passenger Terminal Expo 2024 in Frankfurt, Germany. Total Optimizer harnesses AI and the principles of Total Airport Management to optimize holistically, across a variety of airport functions.

Over the past decade, airports have managed to optimize individual airport functions. However, these individual optimisations are not well synchronised with each other. Teams, systems, procedures and KPIs all conflict with one another and significantly reduce efficiencies, costing airports millions of dollars per year.

Airport staff in a modern Airport Operations Centre take many things into account when making decisions. The problem today, is that the tools used have a static configuration. This prevents the team from dynamically adapting their plans, to consider changes or priorities in the airport environment. Total Optimizer allows airport teams to dynamically set the relative priority of different aspects, such as Operational performance, Capacity provision, Revenue generation, Cost efficiency, Passenger experience and Sustainability.

“This is one of the biggest innovations yet in the sphere of total airport management,” says Stefan Schaffner, VP of Airports at SITA, citing the platform’s impressive ability to leverage AI and data analytics.

A collaborative effort

SITA has been closely studying the challenges airports face in achieving Total Airport Management, with the help of leading airports like GTAA. Referencing the importance of valuable industry collaboration, Schaffner says: “We regularly interview our customers and other industry stakeholders to find solutions to the complex challenges they face now and in the future. In this respect, our new SITA Airport Operations Total Optimizer is a giant step forward to addressing the needs of our airport customers of different sizes and from countries the world over.”

The unveiling of the SITA Airport Operations Total Optimizer comes at a time when passenger numbers are continuing to grow at pace. Meeting this demand not only requires that the industry harnesses smarter digital solutions to ensure greater efficiencies and to streamline operations, but that sustainable business practices are successfully integrated across the ecosystem. SITA’s 2023 Air Transport IT Insights research highlights increased IT spending as a current CIO imperative, alongside ongoing digitalization efforts and a drive to deliver on sustainability commitments. Getting this balance right requires a technology partner who is invested in the industry and is recognized as a leader in leveraging smart technologies to create strong and relevant airport management solutions.

“SITA offers the expertise and technologies needed to reinvent the processes that will underpin tomorrow’s journey, along with the operations that keep the wheels of our industry in motion,” says SITA Schaffner.

SITA partnered with the Toronto Pearson Airport to deploy a prototype of Total Optimizer that was integrated with GTAA data sources. GTAA staff were able to dynamically optimize stand allocation plans, simply by setting the relative priorities of the airport. The predicted savings, operational efficiencies, and additional revenues were then demonstrated to the Toronto Pearson team.

At PTE this year, Toronto Pearson Airport will be speaking to explain the challenges they face and to share their coherent plans to tackle them. Within this story, they described the positive results of Total Optimizer demonstration and how this service could be key to achieving their ambitions.

The SITA Airports Operations Total Optimizer is the latest in a series of powerful solutions to optimize airport operations by leveraging accurate, reliable, shared real-time data. Already, more than 240 airports and 50 off-airport sites use SITA’s Airport Management Solution (AMS) and SITA’s Airport-Collaborative Decision-Making (A-CDM).