WHAT:
CUPPS is an overhaul of the Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) standard, (IATA Recommended Practice 1797, 3rd Edition; April 1, 1994), to result in a common, standardized system platform for agent-facing common-use implementations at airports. It also establishes a corresponding ATA Recommended Practice (RP 30.201), as well as an ACI recommended practice (RP 500A07). CUPPS could eventually also include passenger-facing platforms and applications, e.g., Common Use Self Service (CUSS) kiosk devices.
The CUPPS initiative also now includes the Aviation Information Data Exchange (AIDX) project (formerly known as "FIMS"). This project aims to standardize data flow among aviation stakeholders (e.g. airlines, airports) around a simplified XML schema. For additional information, refer to the AIDX summary document.
WHY:
The common-use standard, dating back to 1994, had not been updated in many years. Additionally, a proliferation of non-standardized providers and their respective platforms and/or implementation methodologies made support of airline applications and airport environments difficult. The goal is to develop a common system platform that reduces support costs - by allowing the use of one application by an air carrier, in both the proprietary and common-use environments - and enables integration with other airport systems such as those supporting flight information display and dynamic signage.
WHO:
A collaboration of airlines, airports and vendors, working together to develop the new standard. This is an official IATA and ATA-sanctioned process (as approved by the Joint Passenger Services Conference (JPSC) in October, 2004), with the additional patronage of Airports Council International (ACI).
LEADERSHIP:
Chair: Samuel Ingalls, Las Vegas McCarran International Airport
Co-Vice Chairs: Bill Heppner, Alaska Airlines
Thomas Jeske, Lufthansa Airlines
Technical Lead: Larry Kretz, SITA
WHEN:
The CUPPS recommended practice garnered unanimous approval at the IATA/ATA Joint Passenger Services Conference (JPSC), held in Toronto in October. Further, it gained approval by ACI at its Annual General Assembly in Buenos Aires in November, 2007. The associated CUPPS Technical Specification document is essentially complete. Pilot projects, involving airports, airlines and vendors will take place shortly. The Technical Specification will be published, after completion of the Pilots.
WHERE:
The meetings take place in a variety of venues. They are a combination of gatherings that are generally attached to other meetings (such as those of the parent CUSS Management Group) and which are occasionally held on their own. Additionally, regularly-scheduled conference calls keep the pace of progress active.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Contact any participating member or Samuel Ingalls, at +01.702.261.5281 or <sami at mccarran.com>.
Also, refer to http://www.iata.org/workgroups/cussmg.htm