011

Information Communication Technology (ICT)

Established in the early 90s, the ICT department serves as a custodian of all electronic data and systems in place within BAS. BAS has invested in and adopted the latest technologies to achieve its set objectives on par with BAS’s mission to provide ground handling services efficiently while meeting international standards.

The objectives are classified under five categories:

  • Adapt innovative technologies: The role of ICT is to introduce and adapt advanced technological changes to improve operations and deliver services that meet the highest standards of safety and security.
  • Train our personnel to cultivate a productive work environment: We invest in our human capital to build a work culture that constantly strives to empower our team by placing them at the forefront of our operations.
  • Improve ICT governance and accountability: To ensure the implementation of world-accredited standards for department management, with due importance to the governance of ICT.
  • Adapt user feedback, training and awareness: To create and introduce a responsive and collaborative environment dedicated to our users and their feedback.
  • Provide a safe and secure environment: To establish a safe and secure environment to eliminate all kinds of external threats that may arise. ICT is geared towards protecting the infrastructure and ensures that the security and safety of all systems is set in place.

In addition, the ICT department works on developing, supporting and adapting globally recognized automated system for all operations across the Company. This initiative helps to reduce operational costs while making the process time efficient by significantly speeding up business processes.

Furthermore, ICT drives innovation, paving the way for a successful business module. The ICT department strives to adopt innovative/emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Cloud, blockchain, ERP, cognitive computing and IoT in order to meet compliance mandates and securely embrace a digital transformation. It also analyzes business requirements on par with global advancements in technology. The team is motivated to pursue various certifications as well as participate in internal and external training, online workshops, conferences and events, both locally and internationally.

ICT Integrated Systems:

Leveraging over 30 in-house integrated systems along with third party systems, BAS provides a customized platform for all its users and departments working holistically to ensure the quality of services is in line with international standards.

Flight Scheduling System (FSS): The Flight Scheduling System is an in-house system built to handle air traffic operations. The system captures flight information and services provided to all airline customers.

Galaxy: A system used to manage the day-to-day operations of cargo and shipments arriving to Bahrain.

Inflight Catering: Used by BAS as ‘Software as a Service (SaaS)’ from a third-party company; the service manages the daily catering operations from the preparation of in-flight meals to managing the menu and invoicing customers.

Q-Pulse: Provided by a third party, this system tracks safety and security incidents along with their mitigations and corrective plans. It is also used to manage audits conducted on airside operations.

Resource Management System (RMS): The system manages employee rosters and real-time task allocation in accordance with airport traffic movement. The system is also used to manage employee skills, availability and training to allocate resources based on operational requirements.

Document Management System (DMS): This documentation system manages all flight data for audit requirements and retrieval.

Vehicle Tracking System: BAS leverages a third-party Vehicle Tracking System to monitor and manage its fleet and to better handle the utilization of assets and staff throughout its operations. The system also optimizes vehicle downtime and maintenance cycles.

Dispatcher Application: All services rendered to a customer’s aircraft, from touchdown to take-off, is tracked via this system. It automates operations and provides backend data to the billing system, based on contractual information.

Maintaining International Standards

Maintaining international standards is the focal point of ICT. Ensuring the highest standards of quality, safety and security across all our services and product lines is imperative to BAS’s operations. Meeting ISO standards and certification pays homage to BAS’s determination to implement globally accepted standards across our service lines. BAS has been awarded with certifications in Information Security System (ISO 27001 Standard) and Service Management System (ISO 20000 Standard).

BAS ICT was accredited in December 2016 after fulfilling all ISO 27001 Standard Information Security management requirements, and accredited again in March 2019 for fulfilling all ISO 20000 standard requirements for effective service management. These certifications are still maintained to date.

In addition, BAS was also awarded the e-government Excellence Award for e-services in 2019 for iBAS as an outstanding e-service provider. Consecutively, in 2021, BAS won the e-government Excellence Award for e-services for the implementation of Security Management System (Shaheen) provided to our customers.