Bristol International Airport has outsourced its IT operations to cope with an expected doubling of passenger numbers.

The airport has signed a five-year deal worth £6m with Steria to accommodate passenger traffic that is expected to rise from 4.5 million in 2004 to nine million a year by 2015.

Bristol Airport finance director Jim McAuliffe says the decision to outsource was prompted by a lack of in-house expertise.

‘The outsourcing contract will allow us additional resources, manpower and flexibility with the back-up of a large organisation,’ he said.

Improved efficiency is the primary driver behind the contract, but McAuliffe also expects cost savings to be generated through ‘a greater opportunity to closely manage third-party contracts’.

Another benefit of the outsourcing deal is improved security that will involve installation of biometric solutions and vehicle management systems.

IT service provider Steria took over the management of the airport’s IT infrastructure and business applications earlier this week following a two-month due diligence process, which McAuliffe is crediting for the smooth handover.

Over the next six months Steria will take responsibility for the airport’s existing IT services and transfer of employees under a Tupe agreement.

For further reading:

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