SITA Unveils New Passenger Services System - Horizon

SITA has unveiled its next generation passenger services system (PSS) - Horizon.

SITA has invested significantly to make Horizon a truly flexible platform that meets the needs of the airlines’ ever-changing business environment.

For example, in 2010, fewer than 40% of airline sales were made through direct channels. By 2016, airlines expect that to rise to 67% (SITA/Airline Business Airline IT Trends Survey 2013).

“The legacy systems that supported everything from reservations, to departure control and inventory 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,” said Francesco Violante, CEO, SITA. “At this time of change, it is vital that SITA made the investment in Horizon to keep competition and choice in the industry. In fact, our latest Airline IT Trends Survey shows that over the next three years, close to 50% of airlines plan major programs to upgrade their core passenger systems. SITA now has a new application infrastructure that can help airlines change how they do business.”

Horizon is designed specifically to manage this new technology landscape. This third-generation PSS is built on an agile platform using the latest technologies, unlike first and second generation systems that still depend on legacy core systems.

Horizon’s service-oriented architecture also makes the valuable commercial and operational data, currently trapped inside legacy PSSs, easily available for more effective business decisions.

During the design process, SITA ensured that Horizon allows business rules to be defined by the airline and consistently applied across all channels.

“Horizon is a completely new PSS that was designed from the ground up, with the latest technology and an agile service-oriented architecture. 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,” said Violante.

The Horizon system is designed to provide genuine customer recognition from the moment of a sales query right through to service from crew during the flight. This allows airlines to maximize profitability.

SITA’s new application infrastructure is already being rolled out while extensive usability and performance testing continues with key users. Further application deployments are planned for later this year.

More than 150 airlines and ground handlers across the world currently use SITA’s PSS.