GRU Airport and RIOgaleo will use SITA Flex to speed up passenger processing as passenger volumes increase. São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) and RIOgaleao – Tom Jobim International Airport (RIOgaleo) (GIG) in Brazil have upgraded their passenger processing technology with the help of air transport IT services provider SITA.
SITA will deploy its next-generation common-use technology, SITA Flex, at the two Brazilian airports under the terms of the agreement. This is part of a five-year contract awarded to the IT company to renew the airport’s common-use services.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, travel in Brazil is quickly resuming. According to IATA, domestic passenger volumes increased by 133.3% year on year in April 2022. Brazil’s domestic passenger market is now the world’s fourth largest. It is good news for the country’s economy, which the pandemic has severely impacted. However, to deal with the travel surge and reduce airport bottlenecks, airlines and airports in Brazil will need to act quickly and agilely.
SITA Flex better equips airports and airlines to address current challenges such as capacity, resource constraints, and disruptions, as the cloud-based platform extends beyond the limitations of traditional common-use infrastructure.
Instead of fixed check-in counters or kiosks, airlines and airports can deploy more mobile passenger services, such as roving agents on tablets or the ability for passengers to fully manage their travel via their mobile phones. SITA Flex’s application programming interface (API) architecture enables the adoption of existing and future passenger processing innovations, assisting in the futureproofing of airport operations.
Carriers at GRU Airport and RIOgaleo can now use SITA Flex to speed up passenger processing as traffic increases in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. The platform will provide mobile passenger services to speed up check-in, bag drop, and boarding at airports.
Its API architecture enables the adoption of current and future passenger processing innovations and the futureproofing of airport operations.
The Cloud-based platform assists airports and airlines in dealing with disruptions, resource shortages, and capacity issues. This empowers staff and allows passengers to manage their mobile phone journeys.
“We are committed to developing solutions, harnessing the latest technologies to help the industry’s recovery and overcome future challenges,” said SITA Americas president Matthys Serfontein.
“Deploying SITA Flex at both airports will enable greater efficiencies and agility to reduce bottlenecks as travel recovers, while also transforming the passenger experience and future proofing the airports.”
According to the company, the five-year contract includes nearly 800 common-use touchpoints, including approximately 550 at GRU Airport and more than 250 at RIOgaleo. SITA recently received contracts to deploy its common-use check-in and gate system from Calgary Airport Authority, ADM Aéroports De Montréal, and the Greater Toronto Airports Authority in Canada.
