IT specialist SITA is to deliver a raft of digital solutions at Kazakhstan’s Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport, among them passenger, baggage, and operational IT systems.

Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport has turned to SITA for new digital solutions to reduce operational costs while supporting improved aircraft turnaround performance. A key focus for the airport is to streamline airside operations. Using SITA’s Airport Management solution, the airport can better forecast and manage operations across the airfield. By sharing event milestones with partners such as airlines, the operations teams have an exact view of how various activities across the airport are integrated and can impact the overall operation, SITA said.  

Ground operators can more efficiently and proactively plan their activities, from allocating team assignments to managing aircraft parking stands, gates, and other resources. This will digitalise airport operations, improve on-time performance, and avoid unnecessary flight delays. The airport expects the implementation of SITA Airport Management to result in a reduction in cost of 15-20%, laying the foundation of Airport Collaborative Decision-Making (A-CDM) governance. 

SITA will also provide Nursultan Nazarbayev with new Smart Path check-in kiosks and bag-drop units, giving passengers seamless, self-service options from kerb to gate. These touchpoints pave the way toward a future biometric journey in line with IATA’s One ID programme, SITA said. In the future, this contactless experience means that passengers’ faces will become their boarding passes, with passengers swiftly identified as they step up to a camera at each touchpoint. 

Daulet Hamzin, chairman of the airport management board, said: “Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport is accelerating a major development programme to support the growth potential of Kazakhstan’s air transport market. We have announced that 2023 will be focused on the airport’s digitalisation.

“We truly believe technology is a key enabler in meeting this rapid growth, streamlining airside operations, and offering our customers a better experience. We are very pleased to partner with SITA to pioneer several regional digital initiatives.” 

Image: Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport