SITA unveils Horizon next-gen passenger services system

New platform for airports and airlines based on agile development

Air transport IT and communications firm SITA has unveiled Horizon, a so-called next generation passenger services system (PSS), at the company's Air Transport IT Summit in Brussels.

Horizon, said SITA, is designed specifically to manage applications in a changing technological landscape, with the system built on an agile platform which will more easily enable updates in the future, as opposed to the first and second generation systems which relied on legacy applications.

SITA siad that more than 150 international airlines and ground handling firms using SITA's existing PSS, and the new Horizon platform will allow its customers to adapt to and incorporate new online and mobile technologies.

"Today marks a milestone for our industry," said Francesco Violante, CEO of SITA. "The legacy systems that supported everything from reservations to departure control and revenue management have served us well. But we are in a new era of technology, lifestyles and customer expectations, forcing rapid change both on airlines and us as their technology provider.

"Airlines need systems that are agile. Passenger management and distribution solutions must be able to respond to individual situations, so airlines can fully exploit customer opportunities happening in real time."

According to an airline trends survey SITA presented, half of airlines plan major updates to their core passenger systems and Violante believes Horizon will be a key part in these upgrades.

"At this time of change, it is vital that SITA made the investment in Horizon to keep competition and choice in the industry," he said. "SITA now has a new application infrastructure that can help airlines change how they do business.

"After many years of investment, development and consultation with our airline and ground handler customers, we now have a PSS that is an integrated application infrastructure that works in our new era of multiple channels and demand for instant tailored requests."