Sita Named “it Company Of The Year”

GURGAON, India - March 20, 2013 - PRLog -- MONTREAL – 20 March 2013 – The Air Transport News (ATN) 2013 Awards have recognized SITA (http://www.sita.aero/)  as the IT Company of the Year for its influential leadership, achievements, innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and social responsibility. The industry’s leading IT and communications specialist, SITA works with almost every airline and airport in the world, innovating to benefit the entire air transport community (http://www.sita.aero/content/facts-and-figures).  

Arthur Calderwood, SITA Senior Vice President, Marketing & Sales Operations, accepted the award on behalf of SITA at a ceremony held on the eve of the ICAO Sixth Worldwide Air Transport Conference (http://www.icao.int/meetings/atconf6/Pages/default.aspx) in Montreal.

Calderwood said: “SITA is at the heart of the air transport industry, and we’re delighted to be named IT Company of the Year. We’re proud to operate at the forefront of the air transport industry, collaborating with our industry partners to create community value. Not only are we committed to providing services all across the world, we’re also making multi-million dollar investments in the future of the industry and running ground-breaking pilot projects that will help shape its future.

“This award is a real endorsement from thousands of individuals working in the industry and the readers of ATN and is thanks to SITA’s employees whose dedication and competence made it possible.”

SITA provides the broadest portfolio of solutions for the air transport industry—all around the world. Its extensive network forms the communications backbone of the global air transport industry, and covers 95 percent of all international destinations.  More than 300 airlines use SITA’s AirportConnect Open (http://www.sita.aero/product/airportconnect-open) to process millions of passengers every day in more than 400 airports worldwide.

Its technology research arm, SITA Lab (http://www.sita.aero/surveys-reports/sita-lab), stimulates technology innovation working with customers to pilot emerging technologies such as geo-localization, near field communications, cloud computing, predictive analytics and grid technologies. It also provides APIs for the industry through the www.developer.aero platform to facilitate faster adoption of technology. One such API allows airlines to introduce mobile boarding passes, including Apple Passbook, quickly and easily into operations.

Over the past number of decades, SITA has led the development of sophisticated border management solutions. Its iBorders Border Management (http://www.sita.aero/products-solutions/solutions/border-management)  is the industry's only full end-to-end solution that can match passenger biographic data with biometric technologies and pre-arrival risk assessment with true identity management on the global level. Now used in more than 30 countries, on every continent, SITA’s border management solutions facilitate secure travel, supporting airlines, airports and government agencies.

Calderwood said: “It’s clear to us that collaborative innovation will transform the air transport industry. So, the evolution of SITA and the air transport industry are one and the same. Our strategic investments, portfolio developments and innovations are always focused on the industry’s future.”

ATN has a strong subscription base of more than 42,000. Award winners were selected by the website’s readers based on two months of online voting and validated by a jury of industry leaders.

– ENDS –

For more information, see SITA infographic here:

http://www.sita.aero/content/facts-and-figures

Follow SITA online:


SITA photos and videos available here:

http://www.sita.aero/content/sita-logos-and-image-library

For further information (not for publication) contact:

SITA  

Kathleen Maksymec

Senior Manager, Corporate Communications

Tel: +41 22 747 6619

Email: Kathleen.Maksymec@sita.aero

Leidar

Charlie Pryor

Director

Tel : +44 (0)20 7031 8270

Email : charlie.pryor@leidar.com

Skype: LEIDAR_Charlie

About SITA
SITA is the world's leading specialist in air transport communications and IT solutions. SITA delivers and manages business solutions for airline, airport, GDS, government and other customers over the world’s most extensive network, which forms the communications backbone of the global air transport industry.

SITA’s portfolio includes managed global communications, infrastructure and outsourcing services, as well as services for airline commercial management and passenger operations, flight operations, aircraft operations and air-to-ground communications, airport management and operations, baggage operations, transportation security and border management, cargo operations and more.

With a customer service team of over 2,000 staff around the world, SITA invests significantly in achieving best-in-class customer service, providing integrated local and global support for both its communications and IT application services.

SITA has two main subsidiaries: OnAir, which is the leading provider of in-flight connectivity, and CHAMP Cargosystems, the world's only IT company dedicated solely to air cargo. SITA also operates two joint ventures providing services to the air transport community: Aviareto for aircraft asset management and CertiPath for secure electronic identity management.

SITA is one of the world's most international companies. Its global reach is based on local presence, with services for over 500 air transport industry members and 2,700 customers in over 200 countries and territories. Set up in 1949 with 11 member airlines, SITA today employs people of more than 140 nationalities, speaking over 70 different languages. SITA had consolidated revenues of US$1.517 billion (€1.09 billion) in 2011.

For further information go to www.sita.aero