South Africa is improving check-in and self service facilities at selected airports in preparation for next year’s FIFA 2010 World Cup.

The country – set to receive an estimated half a million visitors during the tournament – is now implementing a US$35 million programme, which is being implemented by aviation IT and communications firm SITA.

The contract will see SITA provide the equipment and infrastructure for both agent check-in and passenger self-service kiosk check-in for the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), which operates 10 of the country’s airports and handles 98% of South Africa’s commercial air traffic. The programme will immediately benefit the three international airports in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, and the local airport in Port Elizabeth.

SITA has also agreed with Aviation Coordination Services (ACS), which represents the 75 airlines using South African airports, to provide continued maintenance and operation of the Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) and Common Use Self Service (CUSS) check-in environment.

SITA currently supplies many of the airport systems in South Africa but says that ACSA and ACS took the opportunity to review and upgrade services before 2010 to ensure that the surge of passengers travelling to the World Cup games could be handled with ease.

Khodr Akil, SITA regional vice president, Africa, says: “The airports in South Africa will have to handle up to 78,000 passengers and 260 international flights per day and will also require the capability to respond flexibly to airline schedule demands at peak times.

“The key to success in handling large passenger flows is to have the most suitable technology in place before the main event, making sure that all systems are tested and that staff are trained,” says Akil. ACSA and ACS are well advanced in this and, with SITA’s support, will be well and truly ready by June 2010.”

By Security document.com