Regina and Waterloo International Airports join wave of Canadian digitalization thanks to SITA technology

SITA continues to cement itself as the passenger processing partner of choice for Canada’s airports, delivering a state-of-the-art common technology platform allowing a faster and easier travel experience.

Expanding on a collaboration with three of the country’s largest airports, SITA will extend the benefits of its passenger touchpoints to Regina International Airport and Region of Waterloo International Airport with the delivery of check-in and self-bag drop systems. This will bring the number of SITA touchpoints to 725 kiosks and 2,003 workstations across five of Canada’s major airports.

SITA’s flagship common-use check-in systems, including SITA’s new-generation TS6 kiosk, will be deployed by summer 2023 at both airports. These touchpoints will streamline check-in processes thanks to a combination of workstations for airline staff and self-service TS6 kiosks for passengers. Waterloo Airport will additionally benefit from two self-service bag drop stations, developed in partnership with baggage handling experts Alstef Group, speeding up the checking in of baggage for passengers.

In addition to meeting Canadian accessibility requirements, the new touchpoints will make it easier to incorporate both contactless and biometric capabilities in the future, enabling airports and airlines to evolve as processes modernize and tailor the system to their needs.

This project builds on SITA’s collaboration with airports in Toronto, Montreal, and Calgary which has placed Canada at the leading edge of innovative check-in solutions and reshaping the passenger experience. The deployment of this technology vision continues to support the recovery of Canada’s broader aviation industry by creating a common experience to simplify travel.

Sean McKim, Manager, Cybersecurity, Technology & Customer Solutions, Regina International Airport, said: “We’re pleased to announce our collaboration with SITA, aimed at enhancing our common-use systems throughout our airport. Through the implementation of SITA’s common-use solutions, we seek to provide a more accessible, efficient, reliable, and user-friendly passenger experience at Regina International Airport. Our focus remains steadfast on our customers, and we are committed to making improvements to streamline their journey.”

Chris Wood, Director, Region of Waterloo International Airport, said: “We are happy to be furthering the adoption of shared digital systems across Canada’s largest airports to create a more streamlined experience for passengers, not just within the airport but when traveling across the country. The addition of self-bag drop units will further ease pain points at the check-in stage and free up our staff to focus on more complex tasks.”

Matthys Serfontein, President for the Americas at SITA, said: “It is exciting to see more Canadian airports joining a wave of digitalization which will transform the passenger experience and simplify travel through shared technology. Working with three of the country’s largest airports has given us a firm understanding of the unique challenges and requirements within the region, and we look forward to expanding this collaboration to Regina and Waterloo.”