According to the SITA 2017 Air Transport IT Trends Insights report, airports and airlines are set to invest nearly $33 billion in IT this year, concentrating on cloud services, mobile functionality, self-service and security. Overall IT spending is rising: airlines are increasing budgets by about 3.3 percent and airports by just over 5 percent. Most organizations surveyed intend to either increase future spending or maintain current levels.
Mobile services are becoming standard across the industry. Today most airlines already support mobile check-in, mobile boarding passes and flight status notifications, and by 2020 those capabilities are expected to be available from more than 97 percent of carriers. One of the fastest-growing areas is real-time flight updates through social media: currently 31 percent of airlines offer such updates, but 92 percent plan to provide them by 2020.
Airports are likewise prioritizing technologies that improve the passenger experience. About 89 percent of airports are investing in IT solutions for self-service, including check-in kiosks, automated bag drops and streamlined boarding processes.
“The air transport industry is undergoing digital transformation and focusing on protecting operations and passengers, increasing operational efficiency and enhancing the traveler experience,” said Ilya Gutlin, president of air travel solutions at SITA. “Cyber-attacks are a tangible risk in this interconnected sector, so building strong defenses is essential. Cloud services offer efficiencies that help contain costs, while self-service options boost passenger satisfaction by giving travelers more control and speed. When airports and airlines align their IT investments—particularly around security, cloud and self-service—the whole industry benefits from safer, more efficient and more customer-friendly operations.”
In short, the report highlights a clear trend: continued and targeted IT investment across airlines and airports aimed at modernizing infrastructure, expanding mobile and social capabilities, and strengthening cybersecurity, all to deliver a smoother, more secure travel experience for passengers worldwide.