SITA transforms Bogota airport as part of billion dollar expansion project

SITA, the global air transport IT and communications specialist, has transformed Bogota El Dorado Airport (BOG) as part of a US$1 billion modernization and expansion project. SITA is the master systems integrator for the project, and has provided 15 new solutions in collaboration with Johnson Controls, a building systems expert, for Operadora Aeroportuaria Internacional (OPAIN), the company that manages the airport.

In the first phase of the project, SITA provided the technology for the new international terminal (T2), which opened in October 2012. Work is currently underway to extend the terminal, which will also handle domestic flights starting in July 2014.

The new terminal is designed to optimize infrastructure and operational efficiency and enhance business intelligence by automating and integrating airport processes. For example, airlines can share new common-use check-in and transfer counters, passengers can use self-service check-in kiosks and the baggage management system is entirely automated. Together these new services improve the passenger journey and reduce time spent in queues.

Juan Pulido, General Manager, OPAIN said: “Our new international terminal is the most technologically advanced air terminal in Colombia, thanks to SITA and Johnson Controls. Not only does it provide a gateway to our capital, Bogota, it also serves as a symbol of the country’s desire to modernize and integrate with neighboring nations. This makes it one of Colombia’s most important infrastructure projects.

“In modernizing and expanding the terminal, we wanted to provide our passengers with greater comfort, better safety, faster and friendlier service, and more information as they journey through the airport. This requires reducing queues, introducing self-service check-in and providing real-time information along all points of the journey. We’re very happy with the progress made so far and we look forward to our next key milestone in 2014.”

SITA technology supports many aspects of the new international terminal. The company’s departure control services provide secure check-in, boarding and load planning to ensure passengers get through the airport quickly and airlines achieve on-time departures. SITA’s Airport Operational Database (AODB) and its interfaces help improve airport management by consolidating multiple sets of information and providing accurate real-time data from just one source.

In addition, SITA’s common-use technology enables all airlines to use the same airport facilities, so the airport can better manage traffic peaks. In total, SITA’s common-use systems run 68 check-in counters, eight transit counters, four baggage claims and 30 gate workstations. The new terminal also incorporates 40 SITA common-use self-service (CUSS) kiosks for check-in.

Paul Houghton, SITA President, Americas, said: “The new terminal at Bogota Airport provides the perfect example of SITA’s ‘Intelligent Airport’ vision. It enables the airport to use its infrastructure as efficiently as possible, increases its agility when working with partners, and provides the business intelligence to support effective decision-making. It also supports the airport’s expansion plans by accelerating passenger flow, providing self-service and using airport facilities more efficiently.”

Under terms of the agreement, SITA is providing new voice and data communications technology, including a WiFi network, which passengers can use at 68 public access points throughout the airport, and telephony over IP (ToIP), which can carry voice, video and text more cost-effectively over IP networks. To keep passengers better informed in the airport, SITA has installed a public address system, with more than 1,400 speakers in public areas and 233 state-of-the-art visual information display monitors.

El Dorado International Airport is Latin America’s largest airport in terms of cargo movements and is third largest in terms of passenger traffic. In 2012, the airport handled nearly 310,000 national and international flights and almost 23 million passengers.