Accenture and KLM have this week announced that, following a successful test phase, they will move ahead with a long-term "co-sourcing" agreement - under which Accenture will help KLM enhance its Web-based Internet and intranet systems.

The six-year agreement will see Accenture help KLM lower its system development costs, improve the quality of systems development and reduce the time it takes to complete information and communications technology projects.

To handle the more than 20 related projects that are part of the agreement, KLM and Accenture will establish a new group, called UnIT, combining skills and expertise from both organisations.

"Together with Accenture, we are breaking new ground, initiating a change that will spread like wildfire within the information and communications technology community and the airline sector as a whole," said Cees Koster, KLM's chief information officer.