SITA is the world's leading specialist in air transport communications and information technology.

We are living in a networked world where we are connected with things we wear as well as things we use. Soon everything that can benefit from a connection will have one. This ubiquitous connectivity, combined with disruptive technologies and Big Data, is affecting businesses of all types, including those in the air transport industry.

In our networked world, we have seen a shift from web browsers to mobile apps. We are seeing apps to control everything in our house, as well as apps to control our health. The App for Everything world will complement the Internet of Things, today's buzz phrase for an environment in which devices from computers to cars to smartphones to the appliances and apps are connected via the Internet.

The Internet of Things is generating a huge amount of data with significant potential business value, which has yet to be exploited. And the air transport industry needs to be in the forefront of this revolution. Using 'Big Data' to extract business intelligence will create new data sets to feed and control other connected devices. One result will be the ability for the industry to greatly improve disruption management, for example, by linking airport stakeholders such as airlines, immigration officials and ground handlers.

With everyone wanting to be connected, anywhere and anytime with ease, wearable technology is also poised to have a big impact on the aviation sector. Examples are the successful Google Glass trials that SITA Lab carried out with Virgin Atlantic, as well with Copenhagen Airport, enabling duty managers to improve customer service by getting fast access to passenger details and a range of operational data.