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INDUSTRY WATCH
their operations, the passenger and guest
experience and their physical assets from
airplanes to airports.
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the
United Arab Emirates, has selected SAP as
a strategic technology partner to deploy a
range of key software solutions to deliver
the latest best-in-class technology to the
Etihad Aviation Group. Etihad Airways is
using the SAP HANA in-memory platform for
real-time business applications, SAP Ariba
for procurement and business-to-business
collaboration, and SAP SuccessFactors
for talent management for its 26,000
employees, and real-time visibility on the
status of job applications, hiring managers
and recruiters.
Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) is working
with SAP as a digital transformation partner,
consolidating its core business on the SAP
HANA in-memory platform to support its
expansion, and transform its passenger
services and experiences using business
intelligence, analytics and mobility. With
a simplified, integrated and flexible digital
platform, executives can now make more
effective and immediate decisions.
Dr Hichem Maya,
Head of Industries,
SAP MENA
W
ith airlines on the brink of a
transformative digital era,
aviation businesses will be
required to adjust or lose out to their
competitors. Dr Hichem Maya, Head of
Industries, SAP MENA, tells Intelligent CIO
how the company is helping the sector get
up to speed with digital transformation.
What is driving the Middle
East’s aviation digital
transformation?
The Middle East’s aviation sector is
highly competitive, with airlines and
airports jockeying for position to enhance
the number of flights and passengers,
support diversified economic growth and
transform passenger experiences. Digital
transformation is key for aviation players to
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gain a competitive edge across passengers,
operations and assets.
Middle East mega-events are a major
catalyst for the aviation sector’s growth.
Expo 2020 Dubai, for example, is set to
host millions of visitors. Aviation players
will play a major role in enhancing the
end-to-end passenger experience, from
before passengers board their flights, to
landing in the country and integrating and
personalising related activities such as hotels,
transportation and tourist offers.
What are leading examples
of the Middle East’s aviation
transformation?
SAP is co-innovating with numerous
airlines and airport operators to transform
What’s next for the Middle East
aviation players?
Industry 4.0 technologies are set to
transform the airline and airport experience,
especially with artificial intelligence, machine
learning, blockchain and the Internet of
Things. Artificial intelligence and machine
learning can personalise and better monetise
passenger experiences, providing location-
based concession offerings, enhancing
terminal flow and guiding passengers to
their gates to prevent late arrivals. Big
Data and IoT can predict maintenance
and support intelligent buildings, which
can optimise asset utilisation and costs.
Blockchain can also reduce non-commercial
dwell time, for example, reducing the
number of passenger identity checks.
Across the Middle East, we’re seeing strong
aviation demand for solutions running on
the SAP HANA platform, the SAP S/4HANA
real-time business suite, and the SAP
Leonardo digital innovation system. n
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