Virgin Blue uses Runway to contact Aussie border control

Aussie airline Virgin Blue is to use Runway middleware to make contact with Australian security for its proposed New Zealand flights.

The Branson offshoot needs to make the connection for its new service, which will trade under the name Pacific Blue. Runway is a well-established legacy-to-web middleware developed for the airline industry by SITA Information Networking Computing.

Robert Healy of SITA said: "Within two seconds we can get a response from the security and immigration systems and know if a passenger needs further screening."

The Runway system provides an interface with the Australian government system to verify visas and passports in real time. The Australian government's APPS (advance passenger processing system) is internationally acknowledged as the most advanced border control system currently in operation.

SITA - not to be confused with the UK waste disposal company - could stand to make a small bonanza from its Runway system, which was originally designed to link legacy systems through the web for air transport companies and organisations. It has seen significant sales in the US and elsewhere post-9/11, notably to both American Airlines and United Airlines.

Healy said: "All the coalition countries now require this sort of information before air passengers are allowed to fly. Very few countries actually have the systems in place."