ASISTIM Acquisition: SITA’s Latest Leap Into Airline Operations-as-a-Service

Thursday, June 20, 2024

SITA, a leader in air transport technology, has boldly entered the operations-as-a-service market by acquiring ASISTIM, a company well-known for its expertise in airline flight operations. This strategic move highlights SITA’s relentless pursuit of innovative solutions to help airlines navigate challenges and enhance the travel experience for everyone.

With this acquisition, SITA strengthens its position as a premier partner for airlines seeking comprehensive solutions, regardless of their size or passenger volume. As the air travel landscape evolves, airlines grapple with issues like staff shortages, escalating costs, and shifting demands. SITA’s acquisition of ASISTIM directly addresses these challenges by offering centralized Operations Control Center (OCC) services that support multiple clients simultaneously. Furthermore, SITA now operates its own OCC, allowing it to fine-tune and enhance its technological solutions.

The integration of ASISTIM’s operational expertise with SITA’s advanced OCC software, IT solutions, and global reach will enable more airlines to outsource critical operations. This service alleviates the burden of recruiting, training, and retaining OCC staff, ensuring airlines can operate at peak efficiency. SITA democratizes access to high-quality technology, robust processes, and seasoned personnel, typically accessible only to large operators. This partnership empowers airlines of all sizes to improve their operational efficiency, reliability, and scalability, ensuring they can thrive in a dynamic industry.

“Acquiring ASISTIM is a big move for SITA’s Managed Services portfolio journey. It’s a step towards our goal of supporting all airlines by making our top capabilities and expertise available to them. In this case it’s OCC services, whether we take on full OCC activities or just a subset,” said David Lavorel, CEO of SITA. “By centralizing OCC services, we help airlines manage daily or peak operations more smoothly, delivering a scalable solution for all sizes. Now, we’re ready to build on ASISTIM’s legacy of service excellence to expand our offerings. We’ll also integrate their key operational insights into our plans for further developing our software products. This will solidify our position as the go-to OCC provider and is another bold step in SITA’s vision to offer a full range of products and services in the air transport industry.”

Established 15 years ago, ASISTIM has gained recognition for its innovative approach, offering a unique combination of OCC, IT, and training academy services. This allows airlines to access a comprehensive range of services in one place, including managed OCC services, OCC software integration and automation, and top-tier dispatcher training, now supported by the expertise of industry leader SITA.

Svensen Patrick Rossmann, ASISTIM founder and Managing Director, added: “Joining forces with SITA is a huge milestone. Our combined expertise will help us lead change in our industry. SITA’s products, airline relationships, and 75 years of experience will help us set new standards and bring more value to airline operations.”