How My Colleague and I Braved a Swiss Winter to Develop a Revolutionary Airline Terminal Emulator: A Tale of Adventure, Innovation, and Nostalgia!

Author: Ganesh Swaminathan
Blog Date: 11 Mar 2023
Period: Jan end to Mar end 1991

In the winter of 1991, two colleagues and I embarked on a journey of a lifetime. We were tasked with developing a new Airline Terminal Emulator for Swissair, a project that took us to three countries and tested our skills and endurance.

Our adventure began in Bombay, India, where we boarded a Swissair business class flight to Zurich, courtesy of Swissair. It was an exciting start to our trip, and it set the tone for the rest of our trip. We arrived in Zurich with a warm welcome from the Swissair Project Manager who came to receive us at the airport.

Our first stop was Swissair's office in Zurich, where we began the development of our software. The office was a hive of activity, with people speaking different languages and working on various projects. We settled in quickly and got to work, knowing that we had a tight deadline to meet.

Since we had borrowed cash advance from Swissair, we thought we would deposit it in a Swiss Bank safely. In fact, we visited a bank, showed our passports with two month's temporary Visa, and asked for an account to be opened. Not sure if they laughed at us or not, but we were serious and could not really understand at that time why they did not allow it.

As the days passed, we worked long hours, often late into the night, fueled by our passion for our project and our desire to succeed. We would take the bus to and from our place of stay (Kloten), which passed through Flughafen (Zurich Airport) each day. Sometimes, we would get off at the airport to grab a snack and buy some groceries to cook dinner in our rooms. It was an exciting time, and we were determined to make the most of it.

Despite our busy work schedule, we managed to take some time off and visit Zurich downtown and the station Zürich Haupt Bahnhof where we enjoyed walking, eating, and shopping in the city's streets. There was also a lake nearby where we spent a lot of time exploring and taking in the stunning views.

Exactly after 6 weeks of development, it was time to move on to the next phase of our project, testing, and validation. This phase took place at SITA on Long Island in the US, and we were excited to be traveling to a new country. We obtained our visas in India before our trip, and we were ready to hit the ground running. We arrived in the US, jet-lagged but excited, and began the testing phase of our project. It was a rigorous process, but we were confident in our skills and our software. We worked closely with the team at SITA, who were incredibly supportive and helpful, and we made good progress in a short amount of time.

After completing the testing phase, it was time for the final phase, implementation. This phase took place at the brand-new airport in Stuttgart, Germany, and we were thrilled to be a part of it. Our software was to be deployed in time for the official inauguration of the airport, which was only a few days away. We traveled to Stuttgart every day for five days, going through immigration and customs on both sides twice a day. It was an experience, and we marveled at the efficiency of the immigration and customs officials. On the day of the inauguration, we stood back and watched as our software was put into production. It was a proud moment for us, knowing that we had played a part in the success of this new airport. We celebrated with the team, and we felt a sense of accomplishment and camaraderie.

As our trip drew to a close, we reflected on our journey and the challenges we had overcome. We traveled to three countries, worked long hours, and delivered a successful project on time. We experienced new cultures, tasted new foods, and made lasting memories. We returned to India with our heads held high, proud of what we had accomplished, and eager for our next adventure.

Throughout our journey, we were incredibly grateful for the support and motivation we received from our colleagues, managers, and families. Our center manager at Tata Unisys was instrumental in ensuring that we were prepared for our trip and had everything we needed to succeed. Similarly, our project manager at Swissair provided invaluable assistance in helping us settle in and get to work as quickly as possible. Even our families were there to support us every step of the way. My colleague's father saw us off from Bombay airport, treating us to a luxurious meal at a 5-star restaurant before we embarked on our journey. With all of this support, we were able to stay focused on our project and make the most of our time in Zurich.

Visiting Zurich became somewhat of a routine over the years, but nothing quite compares to that very first trip. The excitement, the adventure, and the euphoria of it all still remain fresh in my mind even after all these years.