Airports and airlines can now maintain seamless connectivity in the face of blackouts, extreme weather, or remote operations, thanks to a new service launched by global aviation tech provider SITA. The service, known as SITA Managed Satellites, is designed to ensure that critical aviation systems remain online even when traditional networks fail. It’s already available in over 130 countries, supporting airports with primary, backup, and emergency connectivity tailored for the demands of the air transport sector.
The satellite-based solution leverages low earth orbit (LEO) satellites to deliver secure, high-speed, and low-latency communications. This comes as a strategic response to increasing vulnerabilities in traditional fiber and terrestrial networks, which have suffered disruptions from natural disasters and infrastructure limitations. SITA’s offering is positioned as a lifeline for both large and regional airports, particularly during peak network congestion or unforeseen outages.
According to Martin Smillie, Senior Vice President of Communications and Data Exchange at SITA, the satellite technology has become essential for high availability networks in the aviation space. The system can also serve aircraft maintenance hangars, off-airport sites, cargo hubs, and even enable temporary setups for new or seasonal routes. Smillie emphasized that SITA Managed Satellites optimizes performance and cost-efficiency across all computing environments—cloud-based, hybrid, or on-premises—while ensuring uninterrupted service.
With round-the-clock monitoring and on-site support, SITA offers customers a fully managed lifecycle that includes installation, proactive maintenance, and optional bundling with other connectivity services. Key features of the solution include aviation-specific security, regulatory compliance, and robust infrastructure management. As global aviation becomes increasingly dependent on digital resilience, SITA Managed Satellites provides the redundancy and flexibility airports need to keep passengers moving and operations steady—even under the most challenging conditions.