Etihad Airways launches data-as-a-product ecosystem

Etihad Airways has announced the launch of new, modern analytics and intelligence platform, which will enable the global airline to implement a data-as-a-product ecosystem.

Etihad’s Enterprise Data Platform team collaborated closely with Microsoft on the digital transformation of the UAE national carrier, which heavily relied on Azure’s innovative intelligent data platform. 

“By leveraging Microsoft’s suite of services, we will be able to democratise our data consumption by creating data products for all of our business units that serve their specific needs. said Frank Meyer Chief Digital Officer, Etihad. “A large part of our efforts focused on the formulation of a robust data governance framework which will give us a solid foundation to push a data-driven culture that fuels innovation at every touch point.”

Etihad Airways worked to modernize its Enterprise Data Platform in order to better serve current and future needs while lowering costs and increasing agility. This resulted in the implementation of data-as-a-product, a departure from the company’s previous data-as-an-asset approach.

Etihad’s modernisation project, which is enabled through Microsoft’s UAE-based cloud regions, makes use of Azure’s cloud-native data services such as Azure Databricks, Azure Synapse, Azure Data Factory, Azure Data Lake, Event Hub, Azure Cosmos DB, and Microsoft Purview. 

“Our new setup delivers a holistic analytics, intelligence and automation continuum, from ingestion and storage to consumption and governance,” said Karthic Sundararaj VP Technology & Architecture, Etihad Airways. “Our data team can now build data products for each business unit and share a single version of the truth across the organisation. We expect our new Azure-based platform to impact several KPIs, from the top to the bottom line, delivering innovation, cost reductions and increased agility.”

Rohan Kumar, Azure Data CVP, Microsoft added: “It is great to work with organizations who have strong digital visions and are not only looking to transform their own business operations, but to reinvent how their customers are served in the entire industry. We believe Etihad’s modernisation of its data platform to deliver great customer experience will be an inspiration to every organisation with legacy environment who wants to deliver value across the business through a next-generation, data-as-a-product ecosystem.”