SITA, the global leader in technology solutions for the air transport industry, today announced its acquisition of Materna IPS, leader in passenger handling for airports and airlines. The move will reshape the entire aviation industry, creating the world’s most powerful passenger portfolio for airports and digital travel. It brings to life SITA’s vision to reinvent travel and transport, boosting the company’s leadership in passenger processing, as part of a fast-growth strategy for the years ahead.

With air traffic set to double by 2040, airports and airlines must deliver smoother passenger experiences. SITA’s acquisition is a vital part of its focus on innovation and reinventing travel to meet pressing industry demands for increased terminal capacities and best-in-class secure solutions leading to easy travel for all passengers. It’ll offer the industry a unique opportunity to transform airports from simple transit hubs to digital, personalized experiences for travelers across the world. This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval.

Materna IPS’s portfolio allows airports to process more passengers and optimize resources to give travelers a better experience. They are market leaders in Self Bag-Drop, with a customer base spanning North America, India, Europe, and Japan. Materna IPS offers best-in-class secure solutions for all passenger touchpoints, from check-in to baggage claim and boarding.

SITA leads the world in passenger self-service solutions at the airport. By acquiring Materna IPS, Self Bag-Drop market leader, they’re taking their leadership to another level. Especially as airports transform digitally and the market accelerates towards Self Bag-Drop. SITA and Materna IPS’s solutions complement each other in a powerful way. Following the acquisition, SITA will be the undisputed leader in terms of end-to-end solution at airports.

“This is an exciting new era of travel! SITA’s biggest acquisition ever is about to change the landscape of the whole aviation industry,” said David Lavorel, SITA CEO. “By combining our solutions and expertise we’ll take the passenger journey, and the operations around it, to a dimension of efficiency never seen before. Airports and airlines will get the most innovative passenger handling solutions available. Passengers all over the world can look forward to a new horizon in smooth, seamless, and contactless travel.”

He added: “We’re on a powerful transformation path. This acquisition fits perfectly with our growth strategy. We wanted to take a bold step towards transforming the future of travel, and we’ve done it. We can’t wait to set off on this new journey with our colleagues at Materna IPS and reshape the future of travel together.”

Dr. Georg Oschmann, CEO at Materna IPS, added: “As we embark on this exciting journey with SITA, we see boundless potential for growth and development. This strategic move is an ideal fit with our commitment to innovation and excellence. Together, we’ll create unparalleled value in our industry and beyond, using our combined strengths to drive meaningful progress and more opportunity for everyone.”

This integration will build on Materna IPS’s common use check-in solutions at kiosks, counters or online – multiple options for user-friendly self-bag drop, and more. This will make a powerful combination with SITA’s portfolio of solutions, including biometrics, computer vision, digital travel, and airport operations management.

About SITA

SITA is the air transport industry’s IT provider, delivering solutions for airlines, airports, aircraft and governments. Our technology powers more seamless, safe and sustainable air travel.

With around 2,500 customers, SITA’s solutions drive operational efficiencies at more than 1,000 airports while delivering the promise of the connected aircraft to customers of over 18,000 aircraft globally. SITA also provides technology solutions that help more than 70 governments strike the balance of secure borders and seamless travel. Our communications network connects every corner of the globe, and we bridge 45% of the air transport community’s data exchange.

In 2023, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) approved our near-term and long-term emission reduction targets. These science-based targets are pivotal in guiding our climate actions to curtail greenhouse gas emissions effectively. We are also developing solutions to help the aviation industry meet its carbon reduction objectives, including reduced fuel burn and greater operational efficiencies.

SITA is 100% owned by the industry and driven by its needs. It is one of the most internationally diverse companies, providing services in over 200 countries and territories.

Materna IPS

Materna IPS GmbH, is an international service provider for automated passenger handling for airlines and airports. From kiosk check-in and self-bag drop hardware through to software implementations as well as service delivery and maintenance – Materna IPS has huge expertise in this sector with lots of successful customer-projects around the world.

The company´s well-proven software portfolio includes Common Use-based applications for kiosk, online check-in, self-bag drop and solutions for secure access and self-boarding. For a seamless travel experience, biometric identification as well as RFID technology and payment services are also integrated into the respective solutions.

With over 150,000 daily bag drops and a leading number of installations, Materna IPS takes No 1 position in self-bag drop. These solutions provide fast, easy, and secure baggage drop-off processes, which can easily be implemented into existing infrastructure at the airport. The numerous options stand for flexible and customizable systems but all have a unique user experience.

Their international branches in the USA, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom enable Materna IPS to support their customers individually and to react quickly and professionally to market requirements.

Featured image credited to Mary Kirby