Ground service and air cargo handling group Swissport International has joined forces with SITA to develop a new model that will unlock the value of air transportation data to deliver enriched, predictive analytics for the entire industry.
The new initiative aims not only to provide Swissport with the right data to make intelligent, proactive decisions in its day-to-day operations, but also to develop a framework of how this information can be shared across the industry.
Key to the success of this data model is to ensure all stakeholders – airlines, airports and ground service providers – have access to the same information. By collecting and combining different sets of data, services can be designed based on the individual customer needs and processes will become more efficient.
Sergio Colella, SITA president, Europe, said, “Today’s passenger journey is highly integrated, involving numerous stakeholders. To deliver a truly seamless passenger journey requires each of these parties to work closer together. Now we can harness the power of data to make smarter, more intelligent decisions that ensure the smooth operation of airports and airlines, with real benefits for passengers.”
Christoph Kleinsorg, CIO of Swissport International, said, “Being a first-mover with SITA gives us and our customers the opportunity to benefit from data earlier. Having built a state-of-the-art IT infrastructure, Swissport is now in a position to further digitize its business processes.”
SITA offers quick and simple access to this air transportation data through its networking and API capabilities. By collating and analyzing a range of data streams using flight information, baggage and wait time, the SITA-Swissport partnership aims to develop a standard format to securely share common data with the relevant stakeholders, while enriching these data streams to provide predictive analytics. The data will help enhance cross-company services such as staff planning based on real-time data, measures to prevent delays, and door-to-door baggage services.
Using SITA’s Aviation Blockchain Sandbox, Swissport and SITA are also working with a range of airlines and airports to explore how blockchain can be used to securely share this common data.