The Airports Company of SA (ACSA) reports that, despite a decline of 2.1% in domestic passenger traffic and 0.9% in international traffic, overall revenue grew by 12%, to R3.5 billion with normalised earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) up by 6%.
Releasing its results for the year ended 31 March 2010, the company says non-aeronautical revenue is up 7% and, while domestic aircraft traffic movement (ATM) recorded a 3.6% decline, regional and international performance reflected positive growth of 6.8% and 3.3%, respectively.
Last year marked the start of a “transformation project” at ACSA set to run over a number of years. The initial phase involves the enhancement of core systems and networks, improvement of security management and the development of IT skills to create in-house competence.
Certain core IT systems are behind schedule, ACSA admits, but this comes as a consequence of establishing in-house skills and competencies.
In the financial year ending March 2010, ACSA management focused on Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) processes; IT security, governance and risk management; standardisation; and the establishment of an IT internship programme.
ACSA established an enterprise services bus (ESB) to integrate airport operational systems and back-office systems (such as human resources). The company also adopted Oracle's enterprise resource planning (ERP) suite of programs to manage operations.
The operational spend was R57 million.
The company says R40 million of the R187 million capex for last year went towards the construction of a new data centre at OR Tambo International to enhance stability in the ACSA IT environment. The centre makes OR Tambo International the hub of national airport operations.
An airport management centre came online at OR Tambo in May last year to manage operational safety and efficiency. Due to the observed benefits of the system, ACSA implemented the same at Cape Town International in March to assist with the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
The new King Shaka International Airport was also brought to completion ahead of the World Cup, featuring integrated IT systems.
“Running a network of 10 airports is probably the ultimate juggling act, with the objective of balancing the demands of service providers and customers: airlines, retail operators, hoteliers, parking and advertising concessionaires on the one hand, and passengers and airport users on the other,” says the ACSA financial report.
“IT-enabled systems are continually addressing the reduction of reliance on external service providers, conversely increasing self-dependence.”
The IT budget for the current financial period ending 31 March 2011 is R165 million.
Share