Mergers come with massive IT challenges, but what if the right integration strategy could turn that complexity into $1 billion in savings? That’s exactly what happened when two major airlines unified their systems with Adaptigent.
When two major airlines announced their merger, the immediate challenge wasn’t customer loyalty or branding—it was technology. Merging fleets is one thing, but unifying the critical IT systems behind maintenance, parts tracking, and FAA compliance is another matter entirely.
In this behind-the-scenes look from our recent webinar, we explored the technical depth of this airline case study for the first time, offering a more detailed view into how Adaptigent helped a newly combined airline achieve operational continuity and regulatory approval in record time.
The Challenge: Unifying Complex Part Systems Under Regulatory Pressure
The FAA required the merged airline to present a unified parts tracking system to move forward with the merger. But the situation wasn’t simple. Each airline had its own fleet, with one flying primarily Boeing and the other Airbus aircraft, each using separate back-end systems to manage millions of unique part numbers.
A single Boeing 747 alone can contain over 6 million individual parts, each with its own origin, maintenance schedule, and replacement requirements. Mechanics had to consult mainframe systems manually, using green screen terminals and written documentation. Something as minor as a broken toilet seat could delay flights for hours due to the slow and siloed maintenance lookup process.
The Strategy: Integrating Without Rebuilding
Instead of rewriting and merging two massive back-end systems, which most vendors estimate would take years, Adaptigent took a different approach. With our Adaptive Integration Fabric, we created a unified front-end interface that connected both legacy systems without causing any disruption
This lightweight, API-driven layer allowed maintenance crews to:
- Eliminate reliance on green screen interfaces
- Transition from paper logs to mobile handheld devices
- Access real-time data for faster, informed decisions on-site
This shift wasn’t just technical—it impacted nearly 8,000 aviation mechanics across the organization, who now had direct, mobile access to part inventory and repair history. And critically, this front-end integration was enough for the FAA to approve the system as unified, paving the way for the merger to move forward.
The Outcome: $1 Billion in Efficiency Gains
The benefits didn’t stop at FAA compliance. A few years after the initiative, the airline reported $1 billion in cost efficiency gains attributed directly to the IT modernization effort. By automating previously manual workflows, removing bottlenecks in the maintenance process, and enabling real-time part tracking, the airline realized dramatic improvements in operational speed and resource utilization.
Why It Matters
This case study exemplifies how strategic integration, not wholesale replacement, can unlock real business value. For enterprises facing complex system sprawl after mergers or acquisitions, the lesson is clear: With the right technology, IT unification can happen faster, with less risk and more measurable ROI.
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