Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado installs SITA’s AirportConnect Open

Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado, the main airport serving Colombia’s capital Bogota, has installed SITA’s AirportConnect Open for both agent and self-service passenger check-in as it responds to annual double-digit growth with a $650 million expansion programme.

El Dorado handled 12.7 million passengers in 2007 and this is the first installation of the international standard CUTE (Common Use Terminal Equipment) system in Colombia. AirportConnect Open will enable the airport to cope easily with the projected growth in the numbers travelling on the 24 airlines based at El Dorado which will have a new terminal ready by 2012. These airlines include Aerolineas Argentinas, Air France, American Airlines, Avianca, Copa, Iberia, Mexicana and Varig, among others.

SITA has installed 151 CUTE desks for the airport operator OPAIN. This includes 108 check-in, 14 transfer/connections and 29 boarding gate positions. In addition, the airport will have 12 CUSS (Common Use Self-Service) kiosks. The introduction of the country’s first common-use systems will allow passengers to check-in for any airline on any kiosk, or at any desk at El Dorado. This will dramatically reduce queuing times as physical resources are shared by all the airlines maximizing the terminal utilization.

Michael Nicolaas OPAIN Chief Operating Officer said, “The introduction of SITA’s AirportConnect Open platform for the first time in Colombia is a major element of our airport modernization project which includes having our new terminal ready by 2012. By introducing SITA’s check-in systems now for all the airlines based here we expect a major boost in the quality of the passenger experience with less time in queues.”

In 2006, the Colombian government awarded OPAIN a $650 million contract for the expansion of the airport. This includes the building of a new terminal which is due for completion by 2012.

See other recent news regarding: Travel News Asia, Promotions, New Hotels, SITA