Air India Enhances Passenger Experience with SITA-Built App

Air India has launched a completely new app to cater to its more than 18-million passengers which will take the user experience to a new level.

Built by global technology provider SITA using its state-of-the art mobile platform, the app makes it even easier for passengers to book, check-in and manage every aspect of their journey from their mobile device.

Air India’s new app meets the growing demand for mobile services in India and supports the airline’s drive to increase direct consumer booking – both domestically and internationally.

Today more than one billion Indians use a mobile phone. Of these, more than 300 million regularly use them to access the Internet, a trend that is expected to grow by 56% per year.

Built on SITA’s iTravel® platform, the Air India app offers the ability to book and pay for a flight by quickly and securely scanning both your passport and credit card. Passengers can fully manage their booking from their mobile device, including selecting their seat, making changes to their itinerary, buying additional services, choosing their meal and checking in.

The app has also been integrated with Air India’s Flying Returns loyalty program where passengers can securely access details of points earned or other updates to their accounts.

Ashwani Lohani, Chairman and MD of Air India, said: “Mobile apps are becoming an important tool for making travel bookings by passengers who are tech-savvy and like to access information on the go. This mobile app provides Air India the right tool to access a growing passenger market that is connected both in India and beyond. The new app, developed by SITA, provides an elevated mobile experience where passengers can easily manage every step of their journey on their phone or tablet no matter where they are.”

The new mobile service will be available on Android, iOS and Windows. This means at check-in, passengers can choose to receive their boarding pass on their phone or smartwatch. At the airport, passengers will receive regular updates on their flights and can use the app for mobile boarding.

Maneesh Jaikrishna, SITA’s Vice President for India and Subcontinent, said: “What makes SITA’s iTravel® app really valuable to airlines is that it allows them to have an app that meets their specific requirements. We have worked alongside Air India over the past few years, supporting their passenger management and distribution at every step. This new app is an extension of that relationship, delivering a great experience to their passengers and opening up new opportunities in the fast-changing market here in India.”

iTravel is part of SITA’s Horizon® Passenger Management & Distribution solution used by Air India since 2010 to manage every aspect of its passenger operation from reservations, departure control services, ticketing, ecommerce, loyalty as well as fares and revenue integrity.