SITA, the leading technology provider for the air transport industry, has just taken the big step of moving into the operations as-a-service market with the acquisition of ASISTIM, a company renowned for its airline flight operations services. This move illustrates SITA’s never-ending search for new ways to help airlines handle challenges and stay ahead, making air travel better for everyone.

This deal boosts SITA’s role as a top partner for ambitious airlines, offering them comprehensive solutions no matter their size or passenger volume. As air travel evolves, airlines face issues like staff shortages, rising costs, and changing demands. SITA’s acquisition of ASISTIM addresses these problems head-on by offering centralized airline Operations Control Center (OCC) services supporting multiple customers at the same time. In addition, SITA now has access to its own OCC where it can closely monitor its own implemented technology with the aim to optimizing it further and taking its innovative solutions to a whole new level.

By combining ASISTIM’s expertise with SITA’s unique airline OCC software & IT solutions and global customer reach, this enhanced service will allow more airlines to outsource critical operations. It will help airlines overcome the challenges of recruiting, training, and keeping their own OCC staff. It ensures they’re ready to operate at the highest standards, as SITA democratizes access to advanced technology, robust processes, and experienced personnel typically reserved for larger operators. This means airlines get a trusted operational partner to improve their efficiency, reliability, and scalability, no matter their size or passenger capacity.

“Acquiring ASISTIM is a big move for SITA’s Managed Services portfolio journey. It’s a step towards our goal to support all airlines by making the best of our capabilities and expertise available to them, in this case OCC services, whether we take on full OCC activities or a subset,” said David Lavorel, CEO of SITA. “By centralizing OCC services, we help airlines manage daily or peak operations more smoothly, providing a scalable solution for all sizes. Now, we’re ready to build on ASISTIM’s legacy of service excellence to expand our offerings, but also to bring their key operational insights back into our software product development plans. 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.”

ASISTIM, founded 15 years ago, has made a name for itself with its innovative and unique triad of OCC, IT and training academy services. This means airlines find a one-stop-shop for comprehensive services, including managed OCC services, OCC software integration and automation, and top-tier dispatcher training, now backed-up by an established industry leader such as SITA.

Patrick Rossman, 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.”