SITA airport technology helps Athens International Airport streamline its operations and improve punctuality

SITA has just completed the implementation of its airport management solution at Athens International Airport, delivering significantly improved airport processes, as well as operational and cost efficiencies.

Using SITA’s Airport Management, Athens International Airport is, for the first time, able to share key operational data by opening its Airport Operating Database to its stakeholders – airlines, government agencies, air navigation service providers, and other entities – providing all parties with the same real-time, data-rich view of the airport.

By sharing event milestones, airport stakeholders have an extremely precise view of how various activities across the airport are integrated and can impact the overall operation. The airport operations team can, for example, see when a flight has departed from its destination, with better visibility of the expected arrival time in Athens. This allows the airport to plan ground operations more efficiently, assigning aircraft parking stands, gates, and other resources, ensuring on-time performance and avoiding unnecessary delays.   

The system provides configurability like no other on the market. The newly launched system has already proven its value during the heavy snowstorms earlier this year – an unusual event for Athens that called for extensive de/anti-icing of aircraft. Within hours, the Athens airport team managed to configure the tracking grid so that all stakeholders could plan the de/anti-icing processes effectively.

With a web-enabled application in place, the airport is also able to quickly inform and deploy employees and equipment where they are needed most while gathering real-time data on tasks completed – data that is shared with all stakeholders. The airport can now better plan key activities such as push-back times and align with air traffic control for on-time performance, avoiding long wait times on taxiways and runways.

Through SITA Information Display System screens installed throughout the terminals, Athens International Airport now provides tailored information to passengers’ frequently asked questions, from the location of ticket sales counters to walking times to the gate. This has further enhanced the passenger experience and improved navigation through the airport.

Alexandros Aravanis, Chief Operations Officer at Athens International Airport, said: “SITA’s Airport Management provides us with all the data we need to better manage every aspect of the airport operation. It allows us to rethink the way we manage the airport. What’s more, is that despite the challenges around COVID, our team working closely with SITA was able to quickly implement this solution, putting us in a strong position to manage the increase in passengers as travel rebounds in the coming months.”

Moreover, the airport now has in place the technology to achieve its immediate goal of EUROCONTROL Airport Collaborative Decision-Making (A-CDM) certification

Sergio Colella, SITA President for Europe, said: “SITA’s Airport Management supports greater collaboration by providing a single view to all stakeholders across the airport to drive faster, easier, and informed decision-making. This capability is essential for achieving more efficient and sustainable operations both during the pandemic and once traffic returns to growth.”

About SITA Airport Management

Driven by accurate, reliable, shared real-time data, SITA Airport Management helps airport stakeholders efficiently manage flight operations, optimize the use of fixed and mobile resources as well as facilitate collaborative decision-making. Today SITA Airport Management is used by 188 airports globally.