IBM spinoff Kyndryl today boosted its 20-year relationship with Delta Air Lines by inking an agreement to continue to power "mission-critical systems" that underpin Delta's daily operations, Kyndryl VP Brian O'Rourke told SDxCentral.

The systems running on Kyndryl's mainframe include complex crew rostering and scheduling for 4,000 Delta Air Lines flights each day, along with "the systems of engagement that keep Delta compliant with FAA regulations on historical maintenance records for every aircraft in their fleet," O'Rourke said. Kyndryl also runs a platform for Delta's re-accommodation engine that  "automatically rebooks customers within minutes when they experience canceled or delayed flights," he explained.

With the expanded partnership, Kyndryl plans to integrate automation capabilities to offer flexibility in "how Delta’s core enterprise data is moved and managed across IT environments," O'Rourke said. He said he views these automation plans as an integral step in building "a solid foundation for the long-term transformation journey Kyndryl and Delta are on together."

Kyndryl touts a "deep understanding of the complex technical environment Delta operates in," O'Rourke said, adding that Kyndryl's growing network of global technology partners is well-positioned to support the airline's evolving needs.

Delta Air Lines EVP and CIO Rahul Samant called the partnership with Kyndryl "pivotal in meeting customer expectations" and is counting on the relationship to speed up the airline's technological innovation going forward. "Flexible and reliable systems deployed at scale are critical to serving customers with the very best service, support, and experiences that make Delta different," Samant added.

Although airline IT and cloud budgets may be experiencing the same squeeze as other industries, "there’s never been a more urgent time" for this type of investment, O'Rourke argued. And "one of the areas where we’re seeing airlines continue to invest is in cloud," he said.

The "complex undertaking" that is airline IT transformation needs to built on a scalable, flexible, and strong central architecture, and he touted Kyndryl's prowess in understanding these types of infrastructure needs.

To that point, IT partnerships like this one are essential for airlines as they lean into the cloud and advanced technologies focused on customer experience. This type of "intentional approach, with an eye to the long-term advancements it will yield," should successfully deliver the investment returns expected by airlines, he added.

"When airlines are not investing in their IT operations, they are sure to run into inevitable flight disruptions and system breakdowns. Not only do these incidents cost companies millions of dollars in losses, but they can tarnish brand reputation in the long term," O'Rourke said.