Thai Airways International has launched a new range of passenger self-service functionality ahead of schedule, while achieving cost reductions of 30% in new service implementation using SITA’s Integration Platform.

Thai needed to roll-out new services such as Internet booking, self-service check-in, and online redemption of frequent flyer points while at the same looking for 30% cost reductions in new service implementation by optimising the airline’s IT capacity.

Captain Sopit Pokasoowan, Thai Airways Vice President, Information Technology Service, said, “As one of Asia’s leading airlines we value the ability to deliver new and improved services quickly to both our customers and staff. Selecting and implementing the SITA Integration Platform was a significant and valuable strategic decision for our airline. It has delivered immediate results and benefits to our business, and will continue to do so in the future.”

SITA’s solution overlays a new open system Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) on Thai’s existing systems to create a highly flexible, robust and cost-effective platform from which to launch new services. Thai’s ability to create new services is no longer constrained by aging technology, and the airline can now easily manage ongoing development of customer services offerings in-house, cutting costs and substantially improving time to market.

Richard Stokes, SITA Senior Vice President for Passenger Travel Solutions, said, “By supporting the introduction of SOA Web Services onto existing systems, SITA’s Integration Platform linked Thai’s legacy infrastructure to a next-generation application architecture, avoiding the need for large-scale, costly upgrades.

“That has allowed the airline to leverage two man-years’ worth of IT investment increasing the lifespan of assets like its mainframe system, which can still serve as a valuable source of data for newer applications. It also allows Thai to gradually replace legacy systems in the future, without ever compromising its investment in new applications.”

——-