Tata Comms to provide MPLS WAN for Air France-KLM

Europe’s second largest airline Air France-KLM has handed Tata Communications a multi-million dollar deal to provide next-generation network connectivity to 170 sites.

Tata Communications will provide Air France-KLM with an MPLS WAN in the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, supported by the operator’s global subsea cable network.

The multi-year contract will see Tata Communications roll out a fast, intelligent network which will power Air France-KLM’s mission-critical systems, including passenger check-in, flight operations and departure control applications, as well as corporate programs in the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.

Air France-KLM, which carried 87.4 million passengers in 2014, is the first major European airline group to move away from the legacy networks widely used in the airline industry.

Tata Communications’ global network – which today connects more than 300 locations for leading airlines worldwide – will enable Air France-KLM to offer a range of digital services in regions that have been identified by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as the future growth drivers of the industry.

Currently eight of the ten fastest growing airline markets are located in Africa. By 2034, IATA expects 1.3 billion passengers to touch China – up from 850 million at present – and India is set to see an additional 260 million passengers. Europe will act as key transfer hub to these emerging markets, with 1.4 billion passenger journeys in 2034 – nearly 600 million more than today.

“Investing in emerging markets and cutting-edge digital technologies is at the heart of our growth strategy. We’re introducing a range of innovative services, such as travel apps for smartwatches, to provide a seamless, personalized travel experience for our tech-savvy passengers,” Air France-KLM CIO Jean-Christophe Lalanne said.

“Tata Communications’ global next-generation network will act as the foundation for these services in the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, empowering us take customer service to the next level and capitalize on the huge growth opportunities that these markets offer.”