CSC flying with $1.5bn SAS airline IT deal

CSC has continued its recent spate of big contract wins with a $1.5bn outsourcing deal with Scandinavian airline firm SAS Group.

The five-year deal, which could be extended to nine years, will see CSC acquire SAS Group's IT subsidiary Scandinavian IT Group (SIG), which provides IT services to the airline industry. Around 1,200 employees will move across.

The agreement is expected to start from 1 February this year, with CSC providing IT consulting, systems integration, application development and maintenance. It will also provide IT services for SAS' booking and ticket reservation systems, ticket-free travel technologies, self-service check-in, flight maintenance and cargo control systems.

SAS Group CEO Jørgen Lindegaard said the deal is the best move for the company, staff, SIG customers and shareholders and will enable SAS to meet "the competitive challenges" facing the airline industry.