Here's a small blurb from a StarNet case study:
Star Alliance strengthened its position as the leading global airline alliance when it implemented its StarNet computer network using SITA Passenger and Travel Solutions2 product SITA Integration Platform. StarNet provides the basic infrastructurethat links together all the separate computer networks of the Star Alliance airlines, enabling them to “talk to each other” and exchange information.
This kind of real-time access allows agents to respond quickly and easily to passenger requests, furthering the Star Alliance goal of delivering a smooth travel experience to its passengers. Currently, two key applications are up and running via StarNet: Flight Forecast (FLIFO) Query/Response and Redemption Availability. FLIFO Query and Response gives employees the ability to get flight status information for any other participating Star Alliance member carrier on their own computer.
This means, for example, that SAS agents in Chicago can access real-time information on connecting UA flights from their own computer terminals, allowing them to provide accurate information more quickly to their passengers.
Redemption Availability allows an agent at one Star Alliance airline to view redemption inventory on other member carriers’ flights. In other words, when a passenger phones a Lufthansa reservation agent to check on the availability of seats on a Thai Airways flight for frequent flyer program redemption, that agent can find out if a seat is available simply by looking at the information on his or her computer.
“We’re very excited about the FLIFO and redemption availability features that are available today through StarNet, but this is just the beginning,” notes Ross MacCormack, Chairman, Alliance Management Board. “The StarNet architecture provides the infrastructure needed to continue sharing information and developing customer service improvements over time.”
At the moment, StarNet does not enable PNR servicing – the ability for member carriers to access and update tickets issued by certain partner airlines. Now that StarNet is in place, however, applications are being developed to make PNR servicing possible in the future.
By enabling member carriers to keep their own computer systems, StarNet provides a cost-effective and practical way to link together the many different computer networks. Individual airlines are linked into StarNet through a series of gateways. The airline computer and the StarNet gateway computer speak the same “language.” Once inside StarNet, the message, query or command from one airline is routed to the gateway for the other airline and translated into a “language” that airline’s computers will understand. The whole process takes place in seconds and the exchange is transparent to the user.
StarNet gives Star Alliance member carriers a distinct competitive advantage over other airline alliances that still have to share information via traditional methods. It will also help Star Alliance develop additional tools to help lighten the load of employees and enhance customer service. Star Alliance has major plans to extend StarNet in the future to include numerous advanced applications.
Passenger and Travel Solutions translates the Star Alliance bold vision of seamless customer service across member carriers into state-of-the-art technology and integrated systems.