UAE's Etihad Airways signs $700 mn deal with IBM

Abu Dhabi carrier Etihad Airways on Tuesday signed a $700 million deal with US IT giant IBM for a range of security and technology, infrastructure services.

The 10-year agreement covers Etihad and its partner firms across Europe and Asia, Xinhua cited the state-owned airline as saying in a statement.

The deal "will allow the airline to enhance guest experience, develop world-class infrastructure and security, and improve efficiency," the company said.

It hailed the agreement as "one of the most important strategic collaborations by Etihad Airways" as it will provide access to the latest cloud-based technologies and services for the airline, its group companies and equity partners.

James Hogan, Etihad Airway President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), said the agreement is a game-changing one for the airways, for its partners and employees, and for Abu Dhabi.

The deal includes the creation of a new cloud data centre, to be developed and operated by IBM, in Abu Dhabi.

Martin Jetter, senior vice president of IBM Global Technology Services, said "by this partnership, Etihad Airways is accelerating the move to new technologies such as cloud computing and cognitive."

Etihad, which carried 14.8 million passengers in 2014, serves 113 passenger and cargo destinations.

The airways partners include Airberlin (Germany), Etihad Regional (Switzerland), Austria's Niki, Air Serbia, Alitalia, Air Seychelles and India's Jet Airways.