SITA - Air Transport Communication and IT solutions.

SITA, the specialist in air transport communications and IT solutions, today announced the development of a Global Command Centre in Singapore, which will create up to 100 new jobs by 2011. This facility, dedicated to the air transport industry which enables over two billion passengers to travel each year, will monitor and manage mission-critical systems.

The announcement comes as SITA officially opens the first of its two command centres in Montreal, Canada. With centres in both Montreal and Singapore, SITA will provide "follow-the-sun" operational support to its 3,200 customers world wide.

Just about every airport or airline in the world does business with SITA and from each Command Centre the operations of more than 300 airports and 2,000 airlines will be supported. This includes airport check-in services; self-service web, kiosk and mobile applications; baggage management and tracking; passenger management solutions including reservations, inventory and ticketing; messaging and network operations. In addition, SITA's AIRCOM services which are used by more than 220 airlines worldwide for air to ground communications will be monitored from here.

A team of IT experts will have real-time visibility of the IT and communications systems in use at airports, airlines and aircraft, enabling them to manage the systems proactively to mitigate issues before they arise, or resolve them quickly and efficiently.

Dave Bakker, Senior Vice President, SITA Global Services, said: "This investment in Singapore is a significant part of our strategy to provide the highest levels of continuous service and management to our global customers.

"We chose Singapore because of the positive experience we have had with our 176-strong team based here over the last 41 years and the great support of the Singapore Economic Development Board. The high standard of the IT and communications network infrastructure, availability of highly skilled staff and the world class education system also heavily influenced our decision."

Jayson Goh, Director, Infocomms and Media, Singapore Economic Development Board, said: "SITA's decision to set up such an important facility in Singapore endorses our reputation as a trusted global hub for air transport and IT. The SITA Command Centre reinforces Singapore's drive to become an IT Services Control Tower, and the centre's business-critical operations will enhance the skills of our local IT workforce."

Work has begun on the facility, which will be located in at SITA's regional headquarters in Singapore and recruitment for approximately 20 positions has started.

SITA has a long history and presence in this region with over 400 customers, including airlines, airports, GDSs, governments and ground handlers, and over 700 employees in 28 countries providing services to the air transport industry. In 2009, the company celebrated 60 years in business and was named by Frost & Sullivan, as 'Airport Support Service Provider of the Year' in the region.