Geneva IT major to provide new technology at Cochin airport

Cochin airport is all set for a revamp after Geneva-based airlines IT solution major SITA offered to provide an improved passenger and baggage management system, which will also help authorities to manage an increasing passenger traffic at the terminals.
The deployment of new technology will help Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), the joint venture company which runs the airport, in managing an increasing passenger traffic, which stood at 21 per cent in the last fiscal, a release said today.
Cochin airport is the first greenfield airport in the country built with public-private partnership, and will also have its new international terminal, which is expected to be functional from next year.

Under the mandate, SITA would deploy its Common Use Passenger Processing System (CUPPS), Common Use Self-Service (CUSS) kiosks and Baggage Reconciliation System for end-to-end passenger and baggage management at CIAL.
As part of contract, the Swiss firm would provide 130 check-in workstations, 150 boarding pass printers, 150 bag tag printers, and 20 boarding stations, besides providing the required IT infrastructure and network support to ensure smooth operations of the systems, the release said.
"As Cochin Airport grows, our technology will play an increasingly important role in ensuring its efficient operation. We very much look forward to our continued partnership," SITA vice president for India and subcontinent Maneesh Jaikrishna said.

SITA's common-use platform gives passengers the self-service options they want, while making efficient use of the airport infrastructure, it said, adding the contract also provides for helping CIAL in baggage arrival processing.
"As our airport expands, it is essential we are as efficient as possible and that the technology that underlies everything we do is highly reliable and delivers exactly what we need. SITA has done a great job as our partner for several years. The team knows CIAL well and will help us deploy the services for the new terminal quickly and smoothly," CIAL director A C K Nair said.

SITA, at present, provides its various airport management solutions to 41 of the 43 domestic airports that are earmarked for modernization by the government.