SITA signs 5-year deal with Malaysia Airlines to boost hub to global ops connectivity

July 14, 2022 in Foreign News, Travel & Tourism by Editor

KUALA LUMPUR – 14 July 2022 – Malaysia Airlines and air transport industry IT specialist SITA, have today signed an agreement for a comprehensive upgrade that will link the carrier’s global operations to its Kuala Lumpur hub with fast, secure, and reliable network connectivity.

As part of the five-year agreement, Malaysia Airlines will exploit SITA Connect, which is specifically designed for the air transport industry, to meet the airline’s needs in and outside airports. SITA Connect is ecpcted t lower connectivity costs, improve the quality of service, enable ease of access to new features and applications, and facilitate their passengers’ check-in process worldwide, benefiting from SITA’s global presence at over 650 airports across 220 countries and territories.

SITA Connect will also provide network connectivity that allows team members to access central systems from anywhere, supporting the airline’s worldwide operation for employees working remotely. The carrier says security was a key consideration in selecting SITA’s solution to support the airline’s critical operational systems.

“We’re excited to ramp up our operational capabilities as the industry’s recovery takes hold, with the support of our trusted technology partner SITA. Boosting the connectivity, security, and agility of the backbone technologies that support Malaysia Airlines will ensure we are ready for the influx of passengers over the coming months and poised to deliver a seamless travel experience for all,” said Izham Ismail, Group CEO, Malaysia Airlines’.

Sumesh Patel, APAC President at SITA, said the company “has a long history of collaboration with Malaysia Airlines.

“We’re excited to renew the relationship once more by upgrading several services that will ultimately help deliver a smooth passenger process. Operational efficiency is under the microscope in the wake of the pandemic, and we’re committed to helping the industry recover with smart solutions that are resilient, agile, and cost-effective.”

As international travel rebounds, the industry is  grappling with severe manpower and capacity shortages that are affecting service delivery along the passenger facilitation chain, at both the airport and airline level. SITA has been urging the industry to adopt digital substitutes to aid a smoother ramp-up as traffic recovers.