Tie-up with US firms likely for airline safety

Vinson Kurian

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Nov. 30

IBS Software Services, a Technopark-based company specialising in the air transportation domain, is holding talks with big US-based corporations on a possible tie-up for developing solutions for airline safety and data and systems security.

The Chairman and Managing Director of IBS, Mr V.K. Mathews, will do a prototype along with one of these corporates. ``We've got to talk to them because we cannot do business directly with the US Federal Government. To do business with NASA, for instance, one needs to go through either a Lockheed Martin or a McDonnel Douglas who is an accepted/recognised contractor'', he said.

``We are specialists in the transportation domain, and aviation security is an interesting field, and we see a lot of opportunities here'', he added.

He said the September 11 attacks have served to render airline companies vulnerable as evidenced in recent bankruptcies and curtailment of operations. Decision-makers have been rudely woken up to increased threat perception to vital data and systems and are reviewing the security aspects.

Travel and transportation comprise a core infrastructure area of the economy and have to grow and expand regardless of what happens. Millions and millions of dollars will therefore be spent on aviation safety in future, he said.

The objective for the next five years would be to increase airline security and safety many-fold while maintaining the same level of passenger comfort, costs and service levels. Improving security without the support of required systems and procedures would actually bring about tremendous amounts of costs and inconvenience to passengers.

He estimated that the potential market for the emerging business opportunity would be worth not less than $100 billion. ``I wouldn't be surprised if it touches even a trillion. This is not a big amount considering the stakes involved and the level of business that the air transportation sector is able to generate'', he added.

After touring Europe, the US, Australia and the Far-East, Mr Mathews said the extent of passenger inconvenience, though fully understood and accepted by passengers due to their own safety reasons post-September 11, especially in the case of a non-NATO passenger, who figures on the double security category in the US, cannot go on forever without impacting the economy.