Southwest Airlines has opted for Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its "preferred cloud provider", Amazon announced on March 8.
"This large-scale modernisation with AWS is part of the airline’s long-term plan to enhance the passenger journey, optimise operations, and efficiently invest in information technology (IT) infrastructure," Amazon said.
“As our preferred cloud provider, AWS will offer solutions that are critical in our drive to modernise our operation, equip our employees with the tools they need to serve our customers, and improve our reliability,” said Lauren Woods, senior vice president and chief information officer of Southwest Airlines, whose website and app are channels for more than 83% of revenue.
Amazon said AWS will allow Southwest to "harness the automatic scaling capabilities of cloud technology to more efficiently process real-time fare searches on its website and mobile app", meaning customers will "easily and securely find and book fares quickly, even during periods of peak traffic".
"AWS’s proven experience in the travel industry, coupled with our vast portfolio of cloud technologies, empowers Southwest to increase operational resiliency, drive cost efficiency, and deliver exceptional experiences for its employees and customers," said Matt Garman, senior vice president of sales, marketing, and global services at AWS.
The announcement came about 10 weeks after an IT meltdown saw the carrier cancel almost 17,000 flights as a winter storm swept across the US during the Christmas holiday period.