SITA announced the acquisition of private company MEXIA Interactive, a leading global provider of curb-to-gate passenger analytics for the air transport industry. The company, founded in 2011, is based in Winnipeg, Canada.
The acquisition will enhance SITA’s existing airport operations and passenger flow management solutions. Customers will benefit from a comprehensive and predictive view of passenger flow information that will result in greater operational efficiencies and improved services.
MEXIA’s technology identifies and predicts bottlenecks in various queues such as check-in, security and taxi lines while monitoring the amount of time passengers spend in airports. The company also helps airports find non-aeronautical revenue potential by providing shopper numbers, conversion rates, and trends through insights on passengers dwelling in the airport. MEXIA currently works with some of the largest and most influential airports around the world.
Barbara Dalibard, CEO of SITA, said: “Airports increasingly need comprehensive and sophisticated technology solutions that help them meet the continued growth in passenger numbers while improving the overall airport experience. This is a market where SITA is strongly focused and where we can deliver real value. With the acquisition of MEXIA we will strengthen our airport portfolio, providing our customers with automated predictive analytics and detailed passenger flow management throughout the airport.”
Demand for queue management solutions has in the past few years emerged as a key focus area for airport operators. According to the 2018 Air Transport IT Insights Survey, the implementation of ‘wait-time monitoring’ has jumped from 31% of airports in 2017 to 42% in 2018.
Glenn Tinley, President of MEXIA, said: “Our ground-breaking technology provides seamless integration with SITA’s Airport Management, Passenger Flow Management and AirportPulse solutions. We are extremely excited about the additional benefit our existing customers will receive from the wider SITA portfolio while helping SITA deliver additional value and benefits to their established customer base.”
SITA is firmly committed to further develop MEXIA’s solutions to further advance the portfolio – including the application of its artificial intelligence (AI)/data science expertise by its Montreal-based team. SITA will continue to provide global support for all MEXIA’s existing and future customers.
