Kyndryl Inks Delta Air Lines Data Automation Deal

In order to increase IT stability and scalability, Kyndryl (NYSE: KD), the largest provider of IT infrastructure services worldwide, inked a 5-year extension agreement with Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) today. According to Kyndryl VP Brian O’Rourke, they decided to keep supplying energy to “mission-critical systems” that enable Delta’s regular operations.

According to Amy Salcido, president of Kyndryl U.S., in a release on Thursday, the arrangement extends the two companies’ almost 20-year partnership. It consists of entire operating systems, immediate improvements to the customer experience, and more extensive long-term modernization initiatives.

Kyndryl Inks Delta Air Lines Data Automation Deal

The durability and dependability of aviation industry technology came under scrutiny in December when a winter storm cost Southwest Airlines over two weeks of the disaster, stranded tens of thousands of holiday travelers, and cost the company around $800 million.

According to the conditions of the renewed contract, Kyndryl will continue to help Delta in managing the major systems that enable the airline’s essential operations, such as crew rostering and scheduling, as well as the system that supports Delta’s maintenance documentation process. Kyndryl also supports Delta’s main customer service and loyalty initiatives, as well as the airline’s rebooking software for customers on canceled flights.

One of the systems operating on Kyndryl’s mainframe is complex crew rostering and scheduling for 4,000 Delta Air Lines flights daily, as well as “the systems of engagement that keep Delta compliant with FAA regulations on historical maintenance records for every aircraft in their fleet,” according to O’Rourke. Kyndryl also maintains a platform for Delta’s re-accommodation engine, which “automatically rebooks customers within minutes when they have canceled or delayed flights,” according to him.

In order to enable flexibility in “how Delta’s core corporate data is moved and preserved across IT platforms,” Kyndryl aims to introduce automation capabilities as part of the expanded partnership, according to O’Rourke. The long-term transformation path Kyndryl and Delta are embarking on, in his words, “needs a firm foundation,” and he sees these automation initiatives as a crucial first step in achieving one.

According to O’Rourke, Kyndryl “strongly understands the challenging technical environment Delta operates in,” and the company’s expanding global network of technology partners is well-positioned to meet the airline’s changing needs.

The operational systems used by Delta, including the software for passenger rebooking, maintenance documentation, and crew rostering and scheduling, will continue to be supported and improved by Kyndryl.

Almost 4,000 international flights are handled by Delta’s IT system every day. According to O’Rourke, Kyndryl provides infrastructure support for over 23 million SkyMiles customers as well as a CRM platform and a technical operations platform that controls maintenance information for over 900 aircraft.

While Delta was coming out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy and undertaking financial and technical transformation in the mid-2000s, the IBM partnership that led to Kyndryl’s arrangement got started. O’Rourke, who worked for Delta before switching to IBM in 2006, claims that IBM was hired to modernize and streamline IT procedures.

Reducing IT costs and promoting innovation are essential building blocks of the partnership. Management of cloud adoption has been a recent priority.

While Delta was coming out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy and undertaking financial and technical transformation in the mid-2000s, the IBM partnership that led to Kyndryl’s arrangement got started. O’Rourke, who worked for Delta before switching to IBM in 2006, claims that IBM was hired to modernize and streamline IT procedures.

Reducing IT costs and promoting innovation are essential building blocks of the partnership. Management of cloud adoption has been a recent priority.

About Delta Air Lines

Because of the kindness and helpfulness of its staff, the power of innovation, and every journey feeling tailored, Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) never cease looking for ways to do so. Almost 4,000 daily flights to over 275 destinations on six continents are operated by around 90,000 Delta personnel, who set the standard for exceptional customer service. For further information, go to https://news.delta.com/

About Kyndryl  

The largest provider of IT infrastructure services in the world, Kyndryl (NYSE: KD), has thousands of corporate clients spread across more than 60 nations. The company develops, builds, maintains, and updates the complex, mission-critical information systems that the whole world uses on a daily basis. Go to www.kyndryl.com for additional information.