Air Transport Communications and IT Solutions

Mumbai International Airport Pvt. Ltd (MIAL), managed by the GVK-led consortium that operates Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA), has entered into a 10-year partnership with SITA, the world's leading specialist in air transport communications and information technology. As a part of the agreement, SITA will provide its world-class passenger handling technology to CSIA, the main gateway to Mumbai and India's second busiest airport.

The portfolio of services that will be provided to CSIA primarily includes SITA AirportConnect Open, the common-use passenger system, that promises a smooth journey to the more than 30 million passengers that pass through CSIA every year. This includes common-use check-in and boarding, along with self-service kiosks. SITA will also provide its renowned baggage reconciliation system, which ensures the right bag is on the right plane with the right passenger.  CSIA will also be one of the first airports in the world to benefit from SITA's Airport iValidate – this will be used to process passengers at terminal entry points and prior to going to the airside, ensuring validity for the terminal, flight and flight time and thereby also increasing overall security.

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Rajeev Jain, CEO, MIAL, said: "MIAL has always pioneered the implementation of industry leading initiatives for CSIA, currently the second busiest airport in India. As the technological requirements at CSIA have gradually evolved over a period of time, MIAL is pleased to have SITA on board as its long-term technology partner and who has also played a very credible role in the modernization of CSIA in the past. MIAL is looking forward to strengthening that partnership in the days to come."

Hani El-Assaad, SITA President, Middle East, India and Africa, said: "This major agreement, confirms SITA's commitment to, and leadership position in, the air transport industry in India.  As the long-term technology partner of MIAL, we at SITA will work hand in hand with the team at CSIA to ensure that passengers have a world-class airport experience while ensuring efficient operations for both the airport and the airlines."

Maneesh Jaikrishna, SITA Vice President, India, said: "SITA brings decades of experience of working with the air transport industry in India along with an unmatched dedication to the world's air transport industry, which will ensure we deliver the best technology at CSIA to guarantee real business benefits."

SITA will fully integrate the passenger services with the existing airport management system it supplies, delivering benefits to both airlines and passengers. As part of the program, the new systems will be used at the existing domestic terminals 1A and 1B and also in the state-of-the-art integrated terminal T2. SITA AirportConnect Open will be in place at more than 600 counters and 90 common-use self-service (CUSS) kiosks will be spread across the international and domestic departure areas at T2. For the baggage system, more than 120 hand held terminals will keep track of passengers' bags.

Through use of these new systems, MIAL will be able to better manage the huge increase in passenger volume expected in the next few years. Over the past year, overall passenger traffic at CSIA rose to nearly 31 million. Going forward, MIAL plans to increase its handling capacity at the airport from 36 flights per hour to 48, with a total capacity of 40 million passengers annually.