MALAYSIA AIRLINES TO REDUCE FUEL COSTS WITH SITA’s WIND AND WEATHER SERVICE
KUALA LUMPUR – 22 August 2013 – Malaysia Airlines aims to reduce fuel costs on 40 aircraft, including their A380 fleet, with SITA’s FMS Wind Uplink service. This service constantly updates key Flight Management System (FMS) calculations, so the airline can adjust flight plans according to changing wind and weather conditions, enabling the aircraft to use fuel as cost effectively as possible. During trials, Wind Uplink delivered savings of up to 600 kilograms of fuel on a single flight sector.
Captain Izham Ismail, Director of Operations for Malaysia Airlines, said: “This new service from SITA delivers savings straight away. We have already trialed SITA Wind Uplink with great success in reducing our fuel costs. It has also helped improve our final fuel on board predictions and made our estimated time of arrival predictions more accurate. We are experiencing real business benefits following introduction of this service at Malaysia Airlines.”
SITA’s AIRCOM Datalink Services provide the backbone for the automatic Wind Uplink service, which saves valuable crew time and can help reduce an aircraft’s carbon footprint.
Katrina Korzenowski, Director, Aircraft Services, Asia Pacific, SITA, said: “Wind Uplink enables airlines to take advantage of beneficial changes in weather so crews can bring flights in on time and on budget, reducing fuel costs whenever possible. Due to high fuel prices, we anticipate increased demand for Wind Uplink in the future and are already in discussions with many other potential customers. In addition, because Wind Uplink is packaged as a single service, it can be up and running in just a few hours for SITA Flight Briefing Service and AIRCOM Datalink customers—without any capital expenses.”
Malaysia Airlines carried 13.4 million passengers in 2012, operating nearly 300 flights daily. Its network of 60 destinations in four continents was expanded with its entry into the oneworld airline alliance in February 2013. Malaysia Airlines has received more than 100 awards in the last 10 years, including the 5-star airline recognition by Skytrax World Airline Awards for 2012 and 2013.
About SITA
SITA is the world’s leading specialist in air transport communications and IT solutions. SITA delivers and manages business solutions for airline, airport, GDS, government and other customers over the world’s most extensive network, which forms the communications backbone of the global air transport industry.
SITA’s portfolio includes managed global communications, infrastructure and outsourcing services, as well as services for airline commercial management and passenger operations, flight operations, aircraft operations and air-to-ground communications, airport management and operations, baggage operations, transportation security and border management, cargo operations and more.
With a customer service team of over 2,000 staff around the world, SITA invests significantly in achieving best-in-class customer service, providing integrated local and global support for both its communications and IT application services.
SITA has two main subsidiaries: OnAir, which is the leading provider of in-flight connectivity, and CHAMP Cargosystems, the world’s only IT company dedicated solely to air cargo. SITA also operates two joint ventures providing services to the air transport community: Aviareto for aircraft asset management and CertiPath for secure electronic identity management.
SITA is one of the world’s most international companies. Its global reach is based on local presence, with services for around 450 air transport industry members and 2,800 customers in over 200 countries and territories. Set up in 1949 with 11 member airlines, SITA today employs people of more than 140 nationalities, speaking over 70 different languages. SITA had consolidated revenues of US$1.57 billion in 2012. For further information go to www.sita.aero
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Issued on behalf of SITA by Euro Asia Communications.
For more information, please contact
Anthony Phillips
Euro Asia Communications
Level 30,
Six Battery Road,
Raffles Place,
Singapore
Tel: +65 6322 1462
Mobile: + 65 9832 0431
E-mail: aphillips@eacomms.com.sg
Website: www.eacomms.com.sg
