DUBAI, Etihad Airways and the IT and communications provider, SITA, today announced a 10-year strategic agreement. SITA will deliver infrastructure and end-user data solutions powered by the air transport industry (ATI) Cloud.

Etihad will adopt SITA CrewTablet, for cabin crew to access passenger and operational data via tablets. SITA is working with the airline to establish new connectivity solutions at airport gates.

The IT provider will offer desktop-as-a-service (DaaS), a replacement for PCs in remote office environments and infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), a scalable, on-demand computing solution. SITA will provide onsite support for Etihad’s end-user IT equipment located at the airline's offices and outstations. 

Etihad will continue to use SITA’s IT type B airline operational messaging, SITA’s internet protocol virtual private networks (IP VPN) for global private intranet services and IP VPN@Airports, for shared infrastructure connectivity at airports.  More than 600 customers use SITA’s IPVPN service and more than 130 airports use IP VPN@Airports. 

James Hogan, chief executive officer, Etihad, said: “Etihad Airways 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.  SITA’s extensive portfolio of infrastructure services can be tailored to our specific needs and most importantly can be deployed quickly across SITA’s global network to support our continued international expansion.” 

Francesco Violante, chief executive officer, SITA added: “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.” 

Etihad Airways have a fleet of 73 aircraft operates from its hub in Abu Dhabi, serving an international network of 89 passenger and cargo destinations in 55 countries.