With air traffic set to double by 2040, airports and airlines must deliver smoother passenger experiences. SITA’s acquisition is a vital part of its focus on innovation and reinventing travel to meet pressing industry demands for increased terminal capacities and best-in-class secure solutions leading to easy travel for all passengers. According to SITA, it will offer the industry a unique opportunity to transform airports from simple transit hubs to digital, personalised experiences for travellers across the world.
Materna IPS’s portfolio allows airports to process more passengers and optimise resources to give travellers a better experience. It is a market leader in self-bag-drop solutions, with a customer base spanning North America, India, Europe, and Japan. Materna IPS offers secure solutions for all passenger touchpoints, from check-in to baggage claim and boarding.
“This is an exciting new era of travel. SITA’s biggest acquisition ever is about to change the landscape of the whole aviation industry,” said David Lavorel, SITA CEO. “By combining our solutions and expertise we’ll take the passenger journey, and the operations around it, to a dimension of efficiency never seen before. Airports and airlines will get the most innovative passenger handling solutions available. Passengers all over the world can look forward to a new horizon in smooth, seamless, and contactless travel.”
Lavorel added: “This acquisition fits perfectly with our growth strategy. We wanted to take a bold step towards transforming the future of travel, and we’ve done it.”
This integration will build on Materna IPS’s common use check-in solutions at kiosks, counters or online. This will make a powerful combination with SITA's portfolio of solutions, including biometrics, computer vision, digital travel, and airport operations management.
“As we embark on this exciting journey with SITA, we see boundless potential for growth and development. This strategic move is an ideal fit with our commitment to innovation and excellence,” said Dr Georg Oschmann, CEO of Materna IPS.
The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval.
