Bengaluru Airport signs 10-year Digital Transformation contract with IBM

IBM and Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) has now announced a 10-year Digital Transformation partnership. The financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

 

IBM's independently managed infrastructure services company Kyndryl and IBM will offer IT solutions to create a new ‘Airport in a Box’ platform. The new platform will support the transformation of the end-to-end travel experience for passengers at BLR Airport.

Mr. Hari Marar, MD & CEO, BIAL, said, "We are excited to partner with IBM as part of our vision to make BLR Airport the Smart Airport-- a digitalized, seamlessly connected, intuitive airport. BLR Airport is a pioneer and leader of change in the Indian aviation industry. Our aim is to introduce more digitally advanced, innovative services and products at BIAL to ensure that the passengers and partners have the advantage of future forward technologies, in a seamless operating environment."

Mark Foster, Senior Vice President, IBM Services and IBM Global Business Services, said, "This long-term project capitalizes on our proven ability to deliver a combination of advanced technologies and services that enable the world's leading travel and transportation companies to innovate and transform their businesses. IBM Global Business Services and Kyndryl will apply our expertise in hybrid cloud and building business platforms to help BIAL innovate, improve its operational efficiency and deliver exceptional experiences to its growing passenger base."

The new platform will enable the BIAL to improve employee productivity, reduce costs via streamlined inventory control, better utilization of IT assets, and improved incident management.

The platform IBM is developing will be used to support BIAL business growth is backed with a comprehensive set of IBM technology and services, an open hybrid cloud approach, and is supported by Red Hat Ansible Automation.

The platform will also generate AI-supported insights from IBM Maximo enterprise asset management technology to optimize inventory management and the total cost of ownership.

Once the platform is fully operational, IBM and BIAL are also looking to explore opportunities to advance the ‘Airport in a Box’ as a cornerstone of transformation and innovation for the global travel and transportation industry, notes the announcement.

IBM works with more than 150 airports across the globe and helps the aviation industry to transform and innovate.