GENEVA — The aviation and wider travel industry is at a critical inflection point as legacy IT systems struggle to meet the demands of soaring passenger volumes and escalating cyber threats.
To safeguard operations and reputation, the sector must urgently adopt secure, scalable, cloud-native infrastructure that ensures operational resilience and protects sensitive data, according to Martin Smillie, Senior Vice President, Communications and Data Exchange at SITA. His comments come while launching a detailed White Paper on the benefits of SITA Connect Go.
Cybersecurity has emerged as a top priority for airlines and airports, according to the SITA Air Transport IT Insights report. It revealed 66 percent of airlines and 73 percent of airports rank cybersecurity among their top three areas of focus, highlighting the pressing need to protect critical systems and passenger data amid rising digital threats.
This surge in cybersecurity awareness reflects more than just strategic foresight, it’s a response to the mounting financial risk. SITA’s findings align with data from IBM, which estimates the average cost of a security breach within large, global companies, at $4.44 million.
Smillie says that as threats grow increasingly complex and costly, the industry must act decisively to fortify its digital backbone. This transformation typically begins with modernizing IT infrastructure, migrating to cloud-native platforms, and adopting Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) based networks – providing multiple layers of protection, visibility and accelerated incident response capabilities.
He states: “Building the agility, flexibility, and resilience needed to thrive in a dynamic global environment must be accompanied by a bold vision to embed cybersecurity into the very fabric of business strategy. Security can no longer be relegated to a back-office function or viewed as a reactive safeguard. It must be a strategic priority that informs every decision, from infrastructure investment and digital transformation to customer experience and operational continuity. Resilience isn’t merely about surviving disruption; it’s about anticipating it, adapting swiftly, and emerging stronger through intelligent and scalable systems.”
Solutions like SITA Connect Go exemplify this transformation and thinking. Purpose-built for the air transport industry, it delivers secure, cloud-native connectivity that simplifies network architecture, enhances uptime when systems work without interruption, and reduces operational complexity. SITA Connect Go strengthens core infrastructure and enables seamless operations across airport and off-airport settings.
“Passenger demand is surging, airports are getting busier, and the pressure to operate more efficiently, securely, and sustainably has never been greater,” said Smillie. “Transforming network infrastructure has become business critical, ensuring airlines have the speed, resilience, and agility they need to keep pace with market growth and rising traveler expectations.”
The industry’s overall IT spend is forecast to increase significantly, to $37 billion for airlines and $9 billion invested by airports in 2024, as reported in SITA’s Insight survey.
Smillie adds: “These investments reflect a broader commitment to innovation, with biometrics, artificial intelligence (AI), and sustainable IT solutions shaping the passenger experience and driving operational efficiency. But innovation must be built on a foundation of security. As cyber-attacks grow in frequency and complexity, aviation and the travel sector must double down on resilience, starting with infrastructure that is both smart and built to evolve.”
SITA Connect Go can future-proof operations. By enabling rapid innovation, reducing costs, and supporting real-time analytics, platforms like this lay the groundwork for integrating AI, biometrics, and automation technologies that will define the next era of air travel.
Smillie adds “The aviation and wider travel industry stand at a crossroads. To meet the demands of a digitally connected world –delivering safer, smarter, and more sustainable journeys – we must embrace infrastructure transformation with cybersecurity at its core.” (GlobeNewswire)
