Tata Communications will provide next-generation connectivity to Air France-KLM in a multi-million dollar deal designed to provide a backbone for the airline as it looks to adopt mobile, cloud, big data analytics and wearable tech.
The multi-year contract will see Tata Communications deploy a superfast intelligent network across 170 sites, with the network powering Air France-KLM’s mission-critical systems such as passenger check-in, flight operations and departure control applications.
The deal with Tata Communications signals the first time that a major European airline group has moved away from the legacy networks widely used in the airline industry.
One of the main drivers for the digital transformation is emerging markets, with eight of the ten current fastest growing airline markets located in Africa. In addition to Africa, the Air Transport Association (IATA) also expects 1.3 billion passengers to touch China by 2034, while India is set to see an additional 260 million passengers.
Europe is set to be a key transfer hub for these emerging markets, with a predicted 1.4 billion passenger journeys in 2034, which gives Air France-KLM an opportunity for growth and revenue. Tata Communications’ global network is well placed to serve these emerging markets, which will enable Air France-KLM to offer a range of digital services in emerging market regions.
"Investing in emerging markets and cutting-edge digital technologies is at the heart of our growth strategy," says Jean-Christophe Lalanne, ?CIO of Air France-KLM Group.
"We’re introducing a range of innovative services, such as travel apps for smartwatches, to provide a seamless, personalised travel experience for our tech-savvy passengers. Tata Communications’ global next-generation network will act as the foundation for these services in the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, empowering us to take customer service to the next level and capitalise on the huge growth opportunities that these markets offer."
Tata Communications will provide Air France-KLM with an MPLS wide area network (WAN) in the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, underpinned by the company’s partnerships and investments in airport points-of-presence worldwide and the largest wholly-owned subsea cable network in the world.
"Airlines worldwide are starting to rethink their technology infrastructure to improve the passenger experience, and integrate cloud services and new applications to support the huge amounts of data coming from next- generation aircraft. In tandem, they’re competing for their share of new revenue streams in emerging markets," says Genius Wong, President, Global Network Services, Cloud and Data Centre Services at Tata Communications.
"Tapping into our emerging markets expertise, our advanced global network, and our points-of-presence in airports gives Air France-KLM a real competitive edge. Air France-KLM is paving the way for the transformation of the group’s mission-critical operations, ensuring a superior travel experience for passengers in the industry’s fastest growing geographies."
