SITA and Appear Deploy the First Context-Aware Mobile Platform for the Air Transport Industry

GENEVA and STOCKHOLM - Partnership to Bring Workforce Mobility to New Level as Pilot Projects Seek to Eliminate Information Overload, Boost Productivity and Reduce Costs Dramatically

SITA, the specialist airline IT provider, and Appear, the leader in context-aware software infrastructure, today announced a partnership which will shortly implement the first-ever context-aware mobile platform for the air transport industry (ATI).

Uniquely, this new platform will provide common-use access to ATI applications “on demand” over wireless networks, tackle information overload and allow airlines, ground handlers and other airport customers to escape dependence on manual processes, voice communications and back-office reporting for a wide range of critical operational functions, on an unprecedented scale.

For example, the mobile workforce concept enabled by handheld devices allows aircraft turnaround with one duty manager for 4-5 aircraft rather than the present “norm” of one duty manager per aircraft turnaround. One airline is projecting double-digit reductions in aircraft line maintenance intervention time and critical work-process improvements. Similarly, ground handlers will save on fuel bills and benefit from workforce efficiency gains thanks to remote management of diesel-powered aircraft heaters and other ground service equipment. They will also increase revenues thanks to more accurate usage reporting.

Greg Ouillon, SITA VP for Innovation, said: “As mobile devices, networks and applications became ubiquitous, the last and most important piece of the technology ecosystem required by SITA was to provide a common-use platform to enable on-demand mobility services at any airport.”

Context-aware technology revolutionizes how information is delivered, received and presented on mobile devices. No longer do the users need to know what they are looking for: The Appear Context Engine analyses each user’s situation (context) and determines what information the user needs, what data, voice or video needs to be delivered in real time, on the job. The technology is tightly integrated with SITA’s back-end applications and business process modelling tools.

Xavier Aubry, CEO Appear, said: “For the first time, an entire industry will be able to deploy on-demand mobile workforce services, anywhere in the world, in order to significantly reduce IT costs and optimize business processes. From day one, the solution will be able to reach out to over 250 airports where SITA infrastructure is already in place and to support tens of thousands of users.”

More information is available at www.appearnetworks.com and www.sita.aero

Press Contact Appear: Angela J. Hepburn Be-SR SARL Media Relations Mobile: +33-6-84-81-51-56 Email: angieh@beseenandread.com Press Contact SITA: Denis McClean, Director, Public Relations Tel: +41-22-747-6824 Mobile: +41-79-2173357 Email: Denis.McClean@sita.aero

Source: Appear Networks Systems AB

Press Contact Appear: Angela J. Hepburn, Be-SR SARL Media Relations, Mobile: +33-6-84-81-51-56, Email: angieh at beseenandread.com; Press Contact SITA: Denis McClean, Director, Public Relations, Tel: +41-22-747-6824, Mobile: +41-79-2173357, Email: Denis.McClean at sita.aero