SITA’s next generation AirportConnect platform is now operating successfully
at the new passenger Terminal 1 at Toronto Pearson International Airport. 
This is the first operational airport IT environment based entirely on open
systems and makes the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) Terminal 1 the most
technically advanced, streamlined and efficient hub worldwide.
The new $4.4 billion (CAN)  terminal at Toronto already handles
over 26
million people and the GTAA expects this to rise to over 50 million
people
by 2010.  Installation of SITA’s latest passenger and baggage
technology infrastructure means that GTAA can realize greater cost and
efficiency improvements,  (up to 15%  passenger throughput capacity) while
providing flexibility and control to users.  SITA will now support the
ongoing development and maintenance of the passenger and baggage systems for the next 5 years.

James Burke,  Vice President,  IT&T,  GTAA said: “Our goal right
from the start was to provide operational flexibility in the most cost
effective way possible, not just for the new terminal but across the entire airport. The implementation program was a successful shared learning process between the GTAA and SITA.  We now have the capability to meet the IT needs
of any airport user, tenant, airline or passenger, using any device over a
single infrastructure and platform.”
Mark Whitfield,  Regional Vice President,  SITA INC added: “GTAA is the de-facto intelligent airport IT environment -  and in the future
every airport will operate this way.  SITA was the first to develop the common use technology 20 years ago, and we are proud to be working with
GTAA to lead the industry with this next generation solution combining all the
cost and efficiency advantages of common-use, with the flexibility and
control of a dedicated platform.”

To further increase security and passenger confidence, positive
passengerbag matching (PPBM)  has been introduced with the integration of
SITA’s BagManager service with AirportConnect.  Operating since 2003, the
accurate tracking and reconciliation system has resulted in a net reduction
in the number of mishandled bags and a noticeable improvement in customer service at any
given stage of the handling process, including passing through security
screening devices and tracks local and transfer baggage end-to-end: from customer check-in,  through the sortation process, to placement into containers and then to loading on the aircraft.
SITA’s AirportConnect platform supports all check-in processes and
operates over a campus network built using Cisco Systems’ Intelligent
Transportation Solutions portfolio of converged voice,  data and wireless
networking technologies.
SITA,  the world leader in airport community IT solutions,  launched AirportConnect to ensure the rapid deployment of airport, airline and
other aviation community applications to users over a wide
variety of workstations including PCs, thin clients, kiosks, PDAs and mobile phones.

The key elements of the AirportConnect solution for the GTAA are:
á    AirportConnect Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE): SITA’s
latest multi-use Windows-based, shared check-in application platform based onMicrosoft Windows XP®, operating across 351workstations.

á    AirportConnect Common Use Kiosks: 48 kiosks installed in
Terminal 1,
they can be operated as an airline dedicated or Common Use Self Service
(CUSS) solution and includes hardware, platform software and one or
more
self-service applications.
á    BagManager, an integrated baggage tracking and reconciliation
system.
á    Local DCS, a fully integrated local passenger boarding service.
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