The contract for SITA's desktops select, includes an equipment refresh and comprehensive migration solution to the latest internet protocol (IP) -based virtual private network (VPN) technology. The contract is valued at $4.1 million over five years and will be implemented in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, UK and USA.

Khaled Bin Abdallah Al Melhem, Director General Saudi Arabian Airlines says: "SITA desktopselect will provide Saudi Arabian Airlines with a fully managed global desktop service over a new IP network infrastructure. This will help us to reduce significantly the total cost of ownership of IT in line with our future goals and particularly the move towards privatization."

Desktopselect is a tailor-made solution developed to meet the needs of a distributed out-station environment such as that found in Saudi Arabian Airlines. It allows for standardization of the out-station computing environments, removing barriers to the completion of IP migration and replacement of legacy equipment.

Through integration of the newly developed SITA IT service management system which is based on ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) internationally recognized standards, Desktopselect will also provide Saudi Arabia Airlines with significantly improved customer support through a service desk providing constant real-time monitoring and support without interruption.

"Desktopselect will provide Saudi Arabian Airlines with an end-to-end solution with predictable infrastructure costs and a service level agreement underpinning a robust IT infrastructure. It will also allow for consistent access to head office applications. The first phase will tackle 70 locations across 13 countries. Additional locations throughout the airlines' network will follow suit in the near future," says Hani El Assaad, SITA Regional Vice-President, Middle East & Turkey.