Air Canada: Overcoming turbulence through agility and automation with SAP Ariba solutions
Explore Air Canada’s journey with SAP
As one of the largest airlines in the world, travelers rely on Air Canada to get them from point A to point B safely, comfortably, and economically. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the company’s procurement team was able to change course midflight, saving costs and supporting business continuity with SAP Ariba solutions.
51
million+
passengers a year to 220 destinations.
167
%
increase in processing spend volume, improving control.
33
%
less time to process non-PO invoices.
SAP Ariba solutions have increased our agility during a time of great uncertainty for our industry.
The Challenge
Managing costs and business continuity in volatile times
When the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic, the world came to a grinding halt. With global lockdowns and constantly shifting travel restrictions, airline passenger traffic collapsed.
Air Canada had already been undergoing its digital transformation to improve experiences and business processes. As part of the transformation, the flag carrier wanted to implement a fully integrated suite of procurement solutions to increase automation and gain a consolidated view of spend.
Little did the company know that unified and streamlined procurement would help it address the unprecedented disruption to its business in the days, months, and years ahead.
SAP Ariba solutions’ streamlined, simplified procurement processes are helping our teams perform at their best.
The Solution
Taking off with agile procurement in the cloud
Automate manual processes. Check. Reduce paperwork. Check. Increase transparency and compliance and support remote working. Check, check, and check.
Like completing a preflight checklist, Air Canada ticked all its strategic procurement requirement boxes with SAP Ariba solutions.
The integrated suite of procurement solutions includes SAP Ariba Sourcing to streamline critical tasks and SAP Ariba Contracts to automate and simplify contract management.
SAP Ariba Invoice Management powered the move to paperless invoicing by automating invoice capture, processing, matching, and approvals, while SAP Signature Management by DocuSign, option for SAP Ariba solutions facilitates getting internal signatures.
The company also implemented SAP Ariba Buying to maximise efficiency and increase spend control, as well as SAP Business Network to enable buyers and suppliers to collaborate smoothly in a dynamic digital marketplace.
The Result
Flying high with automated, streamlined procurement processes
“Thanks to SAP Ariba solutions, we’re gaining a consolidated view of spend, enhancing process automation and compliance, and contributing to the digital transformation of our organisation,” said Coralyn Ahmoy, Air Canada’s Director of Strategic Procurement, Center of Excellence.
The unique software-as-a-service solutions enabled employees to switch overnight to working from home. Automating processes has reduced the administrative burden on staff, enabling them to be more productive with higher-value work while reducing costs.
Streamlined contract creation and the automatic conversion of purchase requisitions to purchase orders improved supply chain continuity and reduced risks, particularly important for both the airline and its suppliers during the pandemic. Air Canada’s new business network also delivered the agility needed to withstand the intense disruption caused by COVID-19.
With SAP Ariba solutions, Air Canada automated its procurement processes and enabled remote collaboration, supporting operations across six continents.
SAP helps Air Canada run better
Key business outcomes and benefits
Featured solutions and services
About Air Canada
Air Canada is Canada’s largest domestic and international airline and was among the top 20 largest airlines in the world in 2019.
| Industry | Company Size |
|---|---|
| Passenger travel and leisure | 21,000 employees |
About Air Canada
Air Canada is Canada’s largest domestic and international airline and was among the top 20 largest airlines in the world in 2019.
| Industry | Company Size |
|---|---|
| Passenger travel and leisure | 21,000 employees |