Riyadh Air and IBM have announced the signing of a strategic agreement in which IBM Consulting will be the lead systems integrator to support creating, building and orchestrating the technology foundation that can help the digitally native airline to offer exceptional and seamless travel experiences.
Together, Riyadh Air and IBM Consulting have already created the airline’s digital and technology strategy.
Now, Riyadh Air has selected IBM Consulting to support building the key business and technology capabilities that underpin the strategy. That includes implementing and integrating more than 50 airline industry solutions and core technology capabilities, including security, infrastructure, integration and data platforms, using a hybrid cloud approach.
IBM will also orchestrate the work of over 40 partners by providing program and technical governance, project management, quality assurance, change and communications management and training.
The collaboration is expected to help position Riyadh Air strategically within the broader ecosystem to offer digital innovations and exceptional experiences for travelers and guests. Riyadh Air aims to create a world-class airline with a personalized and seamless guest experience powered by AI and state-of-the-art digital technology, taking obsessive care for details that create memorable micro-moments across the traveler journey.
It also includes empowering employees with data-driven insights and new ways of working to help Riyadh Air better serve their guests.
Riyadh Air Chief Financial Officer Adam Boukadida said: “Our ambition is to launch our first flight in 2025 and put Riyadh Air at the cutting edge of digital technology and innovation within the aviation industry, adopting the best international sustainability and safety practices to deliver an exceptional travel experience, for our guests locally and internationally.”
“IBM Consulting will be our principal partner driving us towards our vision with their deep expertise in managing large complex systems and integration programs as well as their expertise in the travel industry,” he added.
“We’re proud to be Riyadh Air’s partner and help them bring this new era of the Kingdom’s aviation industry to life,” said John Granger, Senior Vice President, IBM Consulting.
“A technology foundation built with an open, hybrid cloud approach and AI can help them achieve the flexibility and agility needed to support their goal of delivering an exceptional travel experience for their guests,” he noted.
Under this deal, IBM Consulting will also establish and maintain Riyadh Air’s hybrid cloud integration platform. With IBM CloudPak for Integration and Red Hat OpenShift, this platform will provide integration tools to connect applications and data within a unified and simple user experience, he added.
