SITA seals key Etihad partnership deal
Paris, June 23, 2013
Leading IT and communications provider SITA said it has inked a 10-year strategic partnership deal with UAE's national carrier Etihad Airways to provide the airline with the latest global infrastructure solutions.
Under the multi-million dollar agreement, SITA will provide key infrastructure solutions, while reducing the cost and complexity of IT. The partnership will underpin Etihad’s vision to be a truly 21st century, global airline, challenging and changing established conventions.
Over the decade, SITA will deliver infrastructure and end-user computing solutions powered by the Air Transport Industry (ATI) Cloud, which will ensure up-to-date services are continually available as Etihad expands its global presence.
Etihad is also adopting new innovative services including SITA CrewTablet, which its cabin crew will use to access passenger and operational data via tablets.
This end-to-end mobility solution designed specifically for the airline industry will enhance in-flight services and customer interaction for Etihad’s more than 10 million passengers.
In addition, SITA is working with the airline to establish new connectivity solutions at airport gates to enable the most efficient management of Etihad’s next-generation aircraft.
Attending this week’s Air Transport IT Summit, CEO James Hogan said:"Etihad has enjoyed a productive partnership with SITA since our establishment in 2003. We continue to work together on evolving and new technology which not only will reduce our costs and increase our productivity, but also will contribute to improvements in the service we continue to offer to our guests."
"Our pioneering business model, based on growth through partnership, has seen us invest in five other airlines and initiate discussions to invest in a sixth, making the SITA partnership even more important as we seek technology solutions which will meet our own requirements and increasingly those of our equity airline partners," he added.
Francesco Violante, the chief executive officer of SITA said: "Our partnership with Etihad gives us an opportunity to collaborate with one of the world’s leading premium airlines, which is based in the Middle East, a global centre of aviation growth."
"Our aim is to reduce the complexity of IT by providing flexible, global solutions so Etihad can focus on customer excellence and growing its business. Together we will explore new solutions that will meet Etihad’s unique demands in the years ahead," he added.-TradeArabia News Service