Net soln to up efficiency of airlines, airports

Now you can get your flight status at the click of a mouse, thanks to the new IT system being installed at private airports.

A web interface on flight information would be now linked to the respective airport websites.

The latest Airport Management Solutions (AMS) would also enable you to bid for seats auctioned by airlines at cheaper fares. The AMS is designed in such a way that airports can help airlines auction their unsold tickets, prior to take-off, with the help of LCD monitors.

The airports will also have more LCD monitors to speed up the check-in and boarding process. These screens, which will be able to carry advertisements, will earn additional revenue for airports.

Indian airports, especially greenfield and private airports, have major plans to install the AMS.

For instance, GVK Group-promoted Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) has announced that it would install India's first modern AMS at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CISA), Mumbai. The system at the airport has been offered by Switzerland-based SITA, an aerospace solutions major which is in talks with greenfield airports such as Hyderabad International Airport (HIAL) and Bangalore International Airport (BIAL).

"The full suite of SITA IT applications included in AMS for Mumbai airport comprises Airport Central (airport operations data base), Airport Resource Manager (a resource management system) and Airport Vision (flight information display system)," said Francesco Violante, the CEO of SITA.

Sources said another international IT service provider was in advanced talks with the GMR group-promoted Delhi International Airport (DIAL).

Apart from complete automation, AMS will effectively allocate resources such as departure gates, aircraft slots, check-in counters and baggage carousels to airlines and create a state-of-the-art flight information display for passengers. This will enable effective co-ordination and real-time availability of information to airport managers and ground handlers.

"The system can even allocate trolleys efficiently for better management. It will also create a pool of data," said a senior SITA executive.

So what is for airlines? "Airlines will immediately begin to reap the benefits of the SITA AMS, as it will give them real-time oversight of the billable services provided by the airport. It will also address any revenue leakage which might otherwise be difficult to pinpoint. The solution provides efficiency and transparency for both airline and airport alike," said Violante.

This system will reduce congestion at the airports as IT-enabled solutions help use of resources (parking bays, slots etc) in better way.