Seamless integration of rail and airline systems provides a smoother journey for passengers.
PARIS – As more airlines operating in France offer their passengers train and air ticketing options, French rail operator SNCF Voyageurs has reconfirmed SITA, leading IT provider to the air transport industry, to securely and seamlessly integrate its back-office activities to those of partner airlines.
An upgraded API-based solution replaces an existing solution from SITA. It will significantly improve the check-in process delivered in the 20 train stations where the ‘Train + Air’ service is available.
In the past few years, airlines across Europe have increasingly moved to intermodal travel, requiring more integration between air and rail operations. SITA has long played a key role in exchanging data between airlines, airports, and other stakeholders in the air transport industry. The same solutions can also be leveraged for rail, maritime, and other modes of transport to better integrate with air travel, providing passengers a more seamless travel experience.
Using SITA’s web API service, SNCF Voyageurs can now receive and transmit travel and passenger details with partner airlines. SNCF Voyageurs are notified of any Train + Air passengers arriving at the train stations and able to share post-departure information with the airlines, confirming that a passenger has boarded the train and is en route. The added benefit of the solution is that there are no changes to airline processes.
The intuitive SITA interface has dramatically reduced the training required by SNCF Voyageurs’ agents to less than 30 minutes while eliminating complex system pre-configurations. SITA’s systems ensure that all data is received, handled, and transmitted in compliance with the IATA standards and GDPR (the European General Data Protection Regulation).
Christophe Pouille, Train + Air Product Manager at SNCF Voyageurs, said: “As we see a strong rail and air travel recovery, SITA has been crucial in delivering a user-friendly and quickly deployable solution ensuring a smooth journey across SNCF and our airline partners. Its ease of use enables our agents to offer a smoother travel experience.”
Sergio Colella, SITA President for Europe, said: “Increasingly, travelers are demanding a more digitally integrated journey where each step of the journey – whether by plane, train, or ship – is seamlessly linked. Our experience in the highly integrated air transport industry has been decisive in bringing together the various stakeholders in a common process. This experience can now be leveraged for other modes of transport.”
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She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
