As the autumn season approaches, airlines that operate direct flights between Russia and other nations are preparing for potential disruptions on the horizon.
Russia’s airline industry heavily relies on the suite of IT solutions developed by Swiss corporation SITA (Societe Internationale de Telecommunication Aeronautiqes) for essential functions like booking, flight messaging, and baggage tracking. However, turbulence is expected as SITA is set to exit the Russian market this fall.
SITA, a global powerhouse that boasts nearly every major airline and airport as its customer, unveiled its intention to withdraw from the Russian sector in May 2023.
Concerns are mounting among Russian flight operators who fear the ramifications of losing access to SITA’s critical services, which underpin the global aviation industry. Industry insiders regard this issue as “extremely sensitive and in need of an urgent solution.”
The Russian Ministry of Transportation acknowledges the challenge and is taking measures to establish “alternative communication channels” between Russian carriers and SITA’s worldwide IT infrastructure. The ministry’s spokesperson stated that progress has been made in resolving this matter with most countries involved in international flights, and ongoing negotiations are taking place with aviation authorities in other nations.
Capitalizing on the departure of its global competitor, the Russian IT company ORS is poised to step in. According to ORS CEO Alexander Sizintsev, replacing SITA’s products with Russian software poses no problems. He reassures that passengers will remain unaffected by this transition.
