By IANS,
New Delhi : Air India Thursday announced a $190 million (Rs.855 crore) deal with aviation solutions provider SITA to upgrade its IT infrastructure which will enable it to join the Star Alliance.
“It will enable us to align processes and systems to meet Star Alliance standards. Air India will then be able to leverage the complementary strengths and synergies of the single new carrier to the maximum, resulting in a more competitive, customer friendly and world class airline with significant improvement in our passenger yields,” said Arvind Jadhav, chairman of the National Aviation Company India Ltd (NACIL), which operates Air India.
“The deal is valued at $190 million over ten years,” he said.
Jadhav said the technology upgradation would help complete the merger of Indian Airlines with Air India.
“SITA’s services will be used to deliver a single airline code to allow the seamless integration of the former domestic carrier Indian Airlines with Air India for the first time since they merged in August 2007,” he added.
In addition, SITA will also implement an efficient online booking engine, departure control system, check-in and automated boarding control, baggage reconciliation system and a frequent flyer programme, the airlines said.