International aviation IT specialist SITA has announced the acquisition of Big Blue Analytics and its core software platform, OCC Assistant Manager (OCCam). The Geneva-based company is thus addressing one of the most costly and complex problems facing the civil aviation industry.
Unforeseen operational disruptions caused by severe weather, technical defects, or air traffic control bottlenecks cost airlines worldwide tens of billions of dollars annually. By integrating this new technology, SITA aims to provide airlines with a sophisticated, artificial intelligence (AI)-based solution to stabilize flight operations more quickly after disruptions.
The OCCam software breaks with the traditional, sequential decision-making processes in airline operations centers. In the event of a disruption, the AI-powered system simultaneously analyzes all operational constraints. These include the availability of aircraft and spare parts, legal working time regulations for cockpit and cabin crew, and rebooking options for affected passengers. Within minutes, the system generates a comprehensive recovery plan. Real-world data shows that airlines can reduce the financial consequences of operational disruptions by up to 30 percent by using the platform. For a medium-sized airline with a fleet of approximately 100 aircraft, this translates to potential savings of several million US dollars per year.
The acquisition is part of SITA's comprehensive expansion and digitalization strategy. The technology group has recently expanded its portfolio through strategic acquisitions such as Materna IPS, ASISTIM, and CCM in the airport and passenger handling sector. SITA CEO David Lavorel emphasized that agility in managing system failures in an increasingly volatile market environment is becoming a crucial competitive advantage for airlines. The long-term development goal is the so-called "Intelligent Operations Control Center," where predictive AI systems forecast potential disruptions in advance and initiate standardized recovery processes fully automatically.
The integration of the systems enables SITA, which manages half of the world's data exchange in the aviation industry, to rapidly roll out the software solution globally. The system also documents every operational decision, allowing airlines to precisely quantify their return on investment (ROI) and provide complete traceability to regulators. Big Blue Analytics founder Pau Collellmir explained that SITA's global distribution structure ensures the necessary scalability to integrate the optimization tools into the daily operations of hundreds of international airlines.