British Airways has guaranteed its full range of fares to Sabre Connected customers, including published fares that the airline sells through its own web site, any third-party web site, and its own reservation offices. Sabre Connected agents in the UK and Ireland will be required to join a new opt-in program to access these fares.
Tiffany Hall, British Airways’ head of marketing and distribution, said: “The Sabre GDS is an important part of our overall marketing strategy. We are delighted to have reached an agreement with Sabre Travel Network that meets the needs of all parties involved and we look forward to working with them over the next three years.”
Richard Adams, Sabre Travel Network’s senior vice-president, EMEA, said: “Our travel agency customers have repeatedly told us that their priority requirements from us are full content, access to the lowest basic fares, and long-term airline deals that guarantee stability in terms of preserving the efficiency of the GDS. We are very pleased to have reached an agreement that ensures these priorities are addressed and that provides continued access to British Airways’ full content, which is so important for our customers to remain competitive and provide the service their customers expect.”
Sabre Travel Network becomes the last GDS operator to introduce an opt-in program in the UK. The new Sabre opt-in program guarantees travel agents in the UK and Ireland, through adjusted financial terms with Sabre Travel Network, full access to the current British Airways content in Sabre, including the complete range of published fares that British Airways sells through its own web site, any third-party web site, and its own reservation offices.
More details of the opt-in program will be made available shortly by Sabre Travel Network, directly to its UK and Ireland travel agency customers.
The agreement between the two companies continues a broad relationship between British Airways and the wider Sabre Holdings organization. In addition to participation in the Sabre GDS, British Airways also uses decision-support technology from Sabre Airline Solutions to optimize its flight scheduling, resource management and daily flight operations.
About Sabre Travel Network
Sabre Travel Network, a Sabre Holdings company, provides access to the world’s leading global distribution system (GDS). The Sabre GDS is a ready-built efficient marketplace that connects suppliers, including hundreds of airlines and thousands of hotels, with more than 50,000 travel agency locations. Suppliers get access through one single connection; travel agents get real time access to thousands of travel products from multiple suppliers through one source integrated into their businesses; consumers get access to a global supermarket of the world’s greatest travel possibilities
Key brands of Sabre Travel Network include GetThere, the leading Web-based corporate travel reservation technology, and Jurni Network, the unique leisure travel agency consortium that enables members to sell more products from preferred travel suppliers using sophisticated market intelligence.
Sabre Holdings (NYSE:TSG) connects people with the world’s greatest travel possibilities by retailing travel products and providing distribution and technology solutions for the travel industry. More information about Sabre Holdings is available at http://www.sabre-holdings.com.
SOURCE: Sabre Travel Network & British Airways
Sabre Travel Network
UK queries:
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Peter Heath, 01844-350099; 07788-456354 (mob)
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British Airways
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British Airways
John Lampl, +1 347 418 4729
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