The Port of Seattle has chosen SITA to provide

  and install an advanced technology Flight Information Management System

  (FIMS)  as part of the major upgrade and expansion of the Seattle-Tacoma

  International Airport (Sea-Tac). The last major expansion of the airport

  took place in the late 1960s, and the result was an airport with an

  annual capacity of 25 million passengers. In 2003, Sea-Tac welcomed more

  than 26 million passengers.

  “The fundamental need for our expansion is to add capacity to serve a

  growing   region   whose   economy   is increasingly intertwined with

  international markets.  Our goal is to provide a beautiful, convenient

  and efficiently operated airport serving the needs of people all over

  the world. To accomplish this we needed a strong, experienced technology

  partner.  Therefore,  we selected SITA to help us in achieving our

  vision,” said Michael Ehl, Director, Airport Operations.

 

  FIMS consists of three interrelated applications that are integrated for

  the seamless transfer of information among airlines, ground handlers and

  airport authorities.

 

  ¤  The first application, AirportResource Manager, optimizes the
  allocation of airport assets such as ticket counters, gates and baggage
  carousels. This ensures that the correct resources are available at the
  right time and in the right place at Sea-Tac.

  ¤  The second application, AirportVision, an airport and flight
  information display system automatically collects and distributes live
  information to display devices in terminals, check-in desks, gates,
  baggage carousels and other applicable areas.  AirportVision improves
  coordination and efficiency by increasing the speed at which information
  is displayed as well as its accuracy, resulting in an improved passenger
  experience.

  ¤  The third application, AirportCentral, is a core database that
  captures operations and management data from each of the systems running
  in the airport. The database ensures that all applications run in sync,
  so that live information is exchanged between systems affording fast and
  easy access to key data throughout the airport.

 

  In addition to FIMS,  the Port elected to expand SITA’s existing

  installation of Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) to support the new

  airport expansion.  CUTE is a common software, hardware and network

  airport solution that enables airlines and handling agents to access

  their own applications from workstations and printers shared by all

  users.  SITA’s BagManager will also be seamlessly integrated with FIMS

  and CUTE to provide the most advanced passenger baggage tracking and

  reconciliation system available today.

 

  “Sea-Tac represents the first ever, all-inclusive installation of SITA’s

  Airport in a Box Solution, anywhere in the world,” commented Catherine

  Mayer,  Vice President,  Airport Services,  SITA INC.  “SITA has long

  understood that airports need to integrate and deploy the latest

  technologies to improve their operations. Airport in a Box integrates

  all critical airport applications,  network,  hardware,  support, and

  offers a range of cost and efficiency benefits for airports, airlines

  and handling agents while simplifying the passenger journey.”

 

  Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has now successfully reached a

  major milestone in its multi-year renovation and expansion project with

  the on-schedule opening of the new South Terminal Extension building.

  The airport’s original and smaller Concourse A had become outdated and

  was subsequently demolished in late 2000. In addition, construction of a

  new Central Terminal began in summer 2002 and will be complete in early

  2005.

 

  Focusing on the total integration of all the technology systems at the

  airport,  SITA’s helps airports and their users to combat congestion,

  maximize limited resources, improve operating efficiencies, reduce costs

  and identify new streams of revenue.

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