Passenger Service System to implemented soon in AirIndia

Global air transport communication and IT solutions provider SITA is in advanced stages of discussion with NACIL to provide the
much-needed IT platform for integrating flight codes of Air India and erstwhile Indian Airlines into a common one, sources said.

Apart from its benefits in the sale of tickets, a common code is an essential requirement for the national carrier, which joining a global airlines' alliance-- Star Alliance.



National Aviation Company of India Ltd (NACIL) had earlier invited global tenders for providing, implementing and maintaining a Passenger Services System (PSS) for the airline on a turnkey basis.

"The negotiations (for providing PSS system) are in advanced stages but nothing has been finalised so far," sources close to the development told PTI here.

The two parties, however, are expected to conclude the discussions shortly, they said.

SITA provides hosted PSS services to 140 airlines, carrying an estimated 120 million passengers across the world.

Following the merger with Indian Airlines, Air India is in the process of integrating activities that cover product delivery, passenger handling and sales and marketing functions.

The activities include reservations and ticketing, pre and post flight processes and frequent flier programme among others.

The biggest obstacle for Air India in becoming a part of the Star Alliance is the absence of a single flight code between Air India and Indian Airlines. At present, the international and domestic services of the merged carrier continue to operate under two different codes AI and IC.

The Parliamentary Committee on Transport, Tourism, Culture headed by CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP Sitaram Yechury, in its recent report, had recommended that the process should be implemented without further delay.

"The Committee notes with dismay that NACIL took almost two years to start the process by inviting Request for Proposal for revamping the commercial processes and systems and infrastructure yet the integration of Passenger Service Systems (PSS) still remains a far cry," the report said.

It also observed that until NACIL gets a common IT platform, a meaningful business transformation would be difficult to achieve.

The Committee recommended that NACIL should strive to achieve a common IT platform without delay and before finalising any Commercial Transformation Project "as the success of the latter is closely linked with the former," the report said.