Successfully representing Türkiye in airline and travel technologies globally, Hitit hosted representatives from over 70 airlines and travel companies across six continents at the "Hitit Partner's Event" in Istanbul, celebrating its 30th anniversary. Along with national and international airlines, senior officials from key aviation organizations such as IATA and EUROCONTROL also attended. This special event not only commemorated Hitit's past achievements but also served as a platform to discuss the future of the airline industry and its sustainability goals.
19 September 2024, İSTANBUL – The "Hitit Partner's Event," celebrating Hitit's 30th anniversary, was held on September 19 at the Peninsula Hotel in Istanbul and evolved into a global vision meeting, uniting airline and travel professionals from six continents. Founded 30 years ago as a women's initiative, Hitit has grown into the second-largest airline and travel technologies company in Europe and the third largest globally, with almost 500 employees. The journey, which began as two women entrepreneurs’ dream, has been marked by Hitit's success in powering technologies used across six continents. At the event, this 30-year achievement was highlighted through discussions on loyalty and teamwork.
With its one-stop-shop service approach, Hitit is ranked third in the world.
As of September 1, 2024, Nevra Onursal Karaağaç, new Chief Executive Officer, shared Hitit's journey from loyalty solutions to becoming one of the world's leading airline and travel technology companies, in her opening speech at the event. In her address, she stated:
“In 2012, our loyalty program became the most widely used software solution globally. This success provided us with the strength to grow, and we began offering 360-degree solutions to airlines with a 'one-stop shop' approach that no other technology provider offers. Today, we are proud to be the technology partner of 75 airlines across six continents. Our innovative technological solutions, along with the long-term cooperation and loyalty bonds we have established with our partners, play a significant role in this success.
On this journey that began with a loyalty solution, I am very happy to be with you today as a global company that embodies the concepts of loyalty and teamwork.”
Artificial intelligence can prevent delays caused by adverse weather conditions.
The conference highlighted Hitit's achievements to date; future trends in the airline and travel industry, and the company's R&D efforts to drive innovation in these sectors. During the discussions, the benefits of artificial intelligence for airline partners, particularly in managing irregular operations (IROPS), were emphasized; along with airline retailing issues that aim to enhance passengers' travel experiences through technology. Nevra Onursal Karaağaç noted that Hitit ranked first in the IATA rankings during this transformation process in aviation, stating:
“Artificial intelligence, which we are actively developing, is a priority across all sectors. However, unlike other industries, we are concentrating on dynamic pricing, delays, and irregularities caused by meteorological conditions. We are collaborating closely with airlines to minimize delays by utilizing artificial intelligence in weather forecasting.”
Net zero target for airline transportation set for 2050.
During the event, sustainability was discussed in depth with the participation of national and international airlines. The Net Zero target set by IATA for 2050 was highlighted, along with the strategies airlines are implementing to achieve zero carbon emissions. Detailed discussions covered the steps airline companies can take to align with the 2050 targets and the latest studies on sustainability within the global aviation industry. Additionally, the benefits of Hitit's accounting solution from the perspective of airline users were addressed.
Hitit is one of IATA's 15 technology providers
The Hitit Partner's Event also featured panel discussions with globally recognized experts. Alongside senior officials from industry regulators such as IATA and EUROCONTROL, representatives from major national and international airlines, including Turkish Airlines, Myanmar Airways International, FlyArystan, APG Airlines, Pakistan International Airlines, and Pegasus, participated in the panels. Shaunelle Harris Drake, IATA Representative, highlighted that a consortium of 16 airlines is working to accelerate the transition to modern airline retail, stating, “The consortium is collaborating with 15 IT providers, one of which is Hitit. There is a significant opportunity in the sector, as the entire value chain begins to modernize. We need to capitalize on this opportunity.”
Pierreluigi Collina's Guide to Navigating Turbulence
The special guest speaker at the 30th anniversary of the Hitit Partner’s Event was the world-renowned former FIFA referee Pierluigi Collina. Currently serving as the Chairman of the FIFA Referee Committee and holding the title of the most-awarded referee in the world, Collina shared his experiences from the football sector with the audience, adapting them to best business practice in his presentation on managing disruption in the business world.