Currently, a joint team from SITA and Cathay Pacific has successfully enabled all traditional IT services to operate in the fully integrated infrastructure based on SITA's IP solutions portfolio. The global Internet platform is currently installed and fully operational in Cathay Pacific's headquarters located in Cathay City adjacent to the Hong Kong International Airport, its data processing centre in Sydney and a large number of Cathay Pacific's business offices around the world. Currently 13 sites are using the service in North America and Asia Pacific, and by 2001 the carrier expects the program to have similarly furnished all 110 Cathay Pacific offices with IP. The global Internet service provides a foundation for Cathay Pacific's strategic e-business applications. In addition, staff at all Cathay Pacific's offices and roaming users including air crew across the world have high speed, cost-effective access to all applications and databases operating across SITA's global Internet Protocol network that provides the highest levels of security, scalability and performance. The carrier is fully IP-enabled - from the host to the keyboard.
With Hong Kong’ new international Airport at Chek Lap Kok, it has guarantee a room extensive growth for Cathay Pacific. Both airport and airline share excellent opportunities for continued success. The extra space at the new airport has provided Cathay Pacific with the opportunity to provide superior services to its customers, including more flexible flight schedules. Cathay Pacific has invested heavily in the airport with a flight training centre, new lounges, cargo terminal, catering operations and a ground-handling company. The airline is actually the largest single private investor in the Chek Lap Kok project. With ambitious plans such as this, the carrier needed to have in place a network infrastructure that is both flexible and reliable.
To do this the company is planning to implement a global internet service and e Business platforms. This implementation will ensure staff worldwide can take advantage of improved performance and secure, cost-effective access to critical business applications such as reservations, sales information, revenue management and engineering systems. The program will quickly expand to equip all 110 Cathay Pacific offices worldwide and already provides the facility for staff, including cockpit and cabin crew, to access corporate systems remotely from their homes.
Implementing SITA's global Internet solution will enable future applications and passenger services to be speedily and simply developed and deployed worldwide, while also reducing telecommunications costs. Cathay Pacific is now considering implementing a dial option for general sales agents and offline sites. Through SITA, the airline has opened the door to a whole range of IP-related offerings and is currently investigating the benefits of using SITA's voice over IP service.
Whereas previously Cathay Pacific was restricted by the limits of its technology, having to outsource its network requirements to SITA, it is now empowered, rather than hampered, by its IT infrastructure and is enjoying the freedom of being truly IP-enabled. This new lease of life means that the airline can better adapt to the demands of its markets and be responsive to changing business requirements