UAE airline choosesMaltese ICT firm's software package

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has signed a contract with Megabyte Ltd for the implementation of Megabyte's Airline Route Profitability System (ARPS) and to provide other IT-related services.

The Maltese company was selected from 10 major international software companies. In a nutshell, the system works out the profit or loss on any flight on a route within minutes of landing.

The fact that Megabyte made it to the finishing line, following an extensive evaluation, is considered to be a milestone for the 30-year-old company and Malta's ICT industry, its founder-director Karm Galea said. It meant Megabyte was preferred over major worldwide players for such solutions, he added.

Etihad Airways' vice-president financial reporting, Duncan Naysmith said the carrier found Megabyte to be "tops" in any area they were considering. Among the major selling points of the Megabyte solution was the fact that the software can be customised to meet Etihad's requirements and integrates with industry standard financial systems.

The solution also has the ability to interface with other airline specific systems, such as those dealing with revenue accounting, fuel management and flight operations.

Megabyte Ltd, which has its offices at the Mosta Technopark, is a leading IT solutions company, boasting a track record of achievements and growth in various business markets. Its clients include Air Malta plc and Cyprus Airways, among other sectors.

Etihad Airways was set up in 2003, with Abu Dhabi as its hub. Following an unprecedented $8 billion order for new aircraft in 2004, it placed one of the largest commercial aircraft orders in aviation history at this year's Farnborough International Airshow in the UK, worth $43 billion, for up to 205 Boeing and Airbus aircraft.