Tata Comm bags contract with Air France-KLM

The Dollar Business Bureau

Tata Communications on Tuesday announced that it has bagged a multi-million-dollar contract with Europe’s second largest airline Air France-KLM to provide next-generation network connectivity to 170 global sites.

“The network will form the backbone for the company as it embraces the latest mobile, cloud, big data analytics and wearable technologies to enhance and personalise passenger experience and support new aircraft,” Tata Communications said in a statement.

“This investment underpins the airline’s growth strategy, driven by organisation-wide digital transformation, delivery of next-generation aircraft, and expansion in emerging markets,” it said.

The contract will enable Tata Communications to roll out a superfast intelligent network to power Air France-KLM’s mission-critical systems, such as flight operations, departure control applications and passenger check-in, as well as corporate programs in the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.

The transaction also makes Air France-KLM as the first major European airline company to move away from the traditional networks widely used in the global airline industry.

Tata Communications’ global network, which connects over 300 locations for leading airlines worldwide, will help Air France-KLM offer digital services in regions, which, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has identified as the future growth drivers of the industry.

Africa currently has eight of the ten fastest growing airline markets in the world.

IATA predicts China to add 1.3 billion passengers– up from its current 850 million, by 2034. India is also set to add 260 million passengers by the given period.

Meanwhile, Europe will continue to act as the key transfer hub to these emerging markets, with 1.4 billion passengers – 600 million more than today.

“Investing in emerging markets and cutting-edge digital technologies is at the heart of our growth strategy. We’re introducing a range of innovative services, such as travel apps for smart watches, to provide a seamless, personalised travel experience for our tech-savvy passengers,” says Jean-Christophe Lalanne, CIO of Air France-KLM Group.

Tata Communications’ network will act as the foundation for these services in the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, thereby giving the French company plenty of opportunities to capitalise on its huge growth potentials.