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Newstrack
SITA check-in systems at 24-hour Kansai airport
EAW Staff
Kansai International Airport's airline community, which operates in the north
terminal of the airport, has selected SITA's AirportConnect CUTE (Common Use
Terminal Equipment) IT solution to provide a shared and web-enabled communications
platform for its major operators.
The multi-million dollar contract is the first contract SITA has signed with
the Kansai CUTE Club, building on business developed with individual customers
at Kansai. The decision was based on future operational and business considerations
and SITA's solution received the backing of the Kansai CUTE Club which comprises
16 leading airlines and one ground handling company, after an intensive and
competitive evaluation process.
Work on the project started in June for commissioning and handover this month.
Essentially, the project will merge the current arrangement of three different
communications systems into a single, unified network, covering nearly 100 check-in
counters in the north wing of the airport terminal. This should improve passenger
flow through what is one of the world's longest terminals, with a frontage stretching
1.7km and catering to 17 million passengers each year.
Hitoshi Isaji, Kansai's CUTE Club chairman and Cathay Pacific station manager,
said, "As a growing international airport with 17 million passengers, check-in
and boarding systems are a high priority for Kansai International. SITA is partnering
with us to bring innovation to the air transport community here through the
latest IP enabled version of AirportConnect CUTE which will help us to manage
future growth." The Java-based, IP-enabled AirportConnect CUTE system offers
end-to-end IP connectivity from host to the airport desktop, providing airlines
with access to their own systems on an industry-open platform. Each CUTE workstation
uses a pre-integrated browser and is connected over IP to support the individual
airline needs on an integrated common platform.
Paul Dalton, SITA regional vice president for North Asia and Pacific, said,
"We are very pleased to be implementing AirportConnect CUTE in such a busy
airport environment. Kansai International Airport can handle over 700 flights
per week and the smart deployment of this IT solution will support airline needs
in an efficient manner and improve their profitability."
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