Kcom extends flagship BA contract

Integrator given added responsibilities as airline consolidates supply chain

Integrator Kcom was a big winner as British Airways (BA) worked to consolidate its supply chain over the past 18 months.

The Hull-based comms provider has worked with BA for more than a decade, providing and managing the airline's data network. But Kcom has now also been handed the reins of BA's voice network, with additional responsibilities around video and other applications.

Kcom will support the airline with 50 dedicated employees based at Heathrow and Gatwick. BA will be provided with first, second and third-line support staff, as well as project management teams.

Paul Renucci (above), Kcom group executive director, claimed it had been important to provide onsite, rather than remote, support.

"BA had a wide and complex communications requirement, one that we felt very confident we could address and indeed go beyond what BA was looking for," he said. "We pride ourselves on the consultative approach of our business; it is definitely one of our key strengths among our competitors within the sector."

Philip Hawker, BA's manager of communication networks and infrastructure, added: "BA have worked for many years with Kcom and have great confidence in their commitment, professional approach and positive working relationships. I'm very happy to have awarded them a new contract covering both the data network management they have previously delivered, and additional services such as the management of much of our voice infrastructure."