Massive tech investment at heart of BA recovery plans

Biometrics, a massive company-wide SAP rollout, e-ticketing, and a new employee portal are among key IT initiatives for cash-strapped airline British Airways.

The initiatives were put on show to the employees at the airline's annual IT fair, which was opened by BA CEO Rod Eddington at its Waterside headquarters near Heathrow.

BA CIO Paul Coby, started the fair last year with the aim of the IT function and key suppliers demonstrating how the airline's technology strategy is benefiting the business to all staff from board-level down.

The largest project underway is a massive SAP enterprise resource management system rollout across the company that will replace over 170 disparate legacy systems – some almost 30 years old. The Engineering Wide System (EWS) will increase the availability of accurate data by avoiding duplication and errors caused by the use of different systems previously.

The project implementation, which started in May, is being launched in three phases that will allow the system to be rolled out in a controlled environment while verifying its full functionality before a full review ahead of going live across all BA aircraft fleets.

Biometrics is also high on BA's agenda with tighter security regulations being introduced at airports around the world, but Coby said there are cost issues about who will pay for it all as well as a need to be cautious about the technology.

"Biometrics is happening and it's around the corner but you don't want to jump with the wrong technology. We will try to keep current and make sure our voice is heard and be ready when something becomes standard. There has to be a worldwide standard," he said.

Iris scanning is currently the biometric that BA has the most optimism about after testing revealed fingerprint readings could be hindered by dirt on the hand, while face recognition is seen as too difficult. A self-service check-in kiosk with iris scanning was demonstrated at the event, although BA said it has no plans to use it at the moment.

One area that is currently under review is providing broadband internet access on planes to passengers. BA finished a trial earlier this year of a service using technology from Connexion by Boeing. Coby said the trial had been received well by passengers and that a business case is being evaluated, with the cost of providing the service in the current difficult climate a key issue.

On the customer-facing side BA is pushing for even more self-service technologies for passengers. Plans are underway to extend the online and self-service check-in kiosks at airports and to implement 100 per cent e-ticketing. Additional functionality will also soon allow passengers to print off their own boarding passes from their home PC.

An airline industry survey also out today found that CIOs believe investing in IT is key to cutting costs, increasing efficiencies and preparing the beleaguered industry for recovery following the worst period in its history.