Qatar Airways embarks on $4.1m SITA intranet link

Qatar Airways (QR) has selected SITA to implement Intranet Connect, SITA's market leading fully managed Internet Protocol (IP) solution, which provides any-to-any secure IP access worldwide.

The $4.1 million three-year project will transform Qatar Airways' telecom infrastructure, migrating 190 connections in 113 offices and 60 cities from legacy based protocols to IP.

SITA will provide Qatar Airways with a single global network solution allowing them to integrate new applications, workstations and offices to help improve operational efficiency and the services provided to customers.

Qatar Airways will use the IP network to support new reservations, airfare, ticketing and customer care applications. The service will also allow them to give priority to business critical traffic, and has been designed to support future potential developments such as voice and video services.

Akbar Al Baker, chief executive of Qatar Airways, said: "SITA is the major player in the telecommunications field and the only company that could meet all our needs. Qatar Airways have embarked on an IT development programme on a large scale, which will definitely benefit our customers.

"New IT applications linked via an IP network will be used to streamline our business processes and provide our customers with a seamless service. We are delighted to be working with SITA, our chosen IT provider, towards the successful completion of this project."

Meanwhile, Qatar Airways is undertaking an Oracle based e-business initiative to cope with its expansion. The project will centralise the airline's financial and human resources operations through an Oracle e-business suite implementation.

The implementation will cover the airline and its subsidiaries.

Qatar Airways' new e-business initiative will complement other projects such as the expansion of its fleet, the launch of new destinations, and the passenger capacity increase of Qatar's international airport.

The Oracle implementation will enable Qatar Airways to have an up-to-the-minute view of its business, allowing the airline to make informed decisions.

"Having immediate access to accurate information is imperative for Qatar Airways as we embark upon the most comprehensive growth initiative ever in the history of Qatar's transportation sector," said Akbar Al Baker.

"To become a truly world-class airline, we require a world-class IT infrastructure, and our relationship with Oracle will enable Qatar Airways to achieve a number of key business objectives.

"As the aviation industry becomes increasingly competitive, Qatar Airways will remain a leader through decisive actions such as our e-business project."

Because the airline intends to raise the number of destinations to more than 50 in the next couple of years, the human resources component of the company's e-business strategy is integral to the project's overall success, says Oracle.

"The extremely slim margins witnessed by the aviation industry mean that airlines must optimise their technology investments, and drive down operational costs wherever possible," said Husam Dajani, regional vice-president, Oracle.

"Qatar Airway's e-business strategy is on course to increase the organisation's profitability by reducing expenses, benefiting the bottom line at a critical time within Qatar Airway's corporate evolution."