Alitalia becomes second major European airline to join Sabre DCA Three-Year Option

* Move enhances Sabre Travel Network’s competitive position in Europe * Sabre Travel Network, a Sabre Holdings company, said today that Italian flag carrier Alitalia has joined its Direct Connect Availability (DCA) Three-Year Option. This programme commits the carrier to a three-year term at the highest level of participation in the Sabre global distribution system (GDS) in exchange for a reduced booking fee, fixed for three years. Alitalia follows British Airways as the second major European carrier to participate in the DCA Three-Year Option. “This is seen widely across Europe as one of the most constructive and innovative initiatives to have come out of the GDS sector in recent years,” said Vittorino Capobianco, Alitalia’s vice president of direct sales, loyalty and distribution. “Sabre Travel Network has recognised the challenge airlines face with ongoing distribution costs and has acted not only to address these concerns, but also to safeguard its position as the world’s leading travel commerce company.” When selling seats through the Sabre GDS, airlines select one of several levels of participation in the system. DCA is the highest level of Sabre GDS participation and provides airlines with the widest range of services to market and sell their products. The Three-Year Option was introduced for bookings made in the United States in October 2002, and was extended in April 2003 to include bookings made in Europe. Airlines signing the DCA Three-Year Option agree to provide all Sabre users with full content information. This includes published fares that the airlines sell through any third-party Web site or their own Web sites and reservation offices. In return, Sabre Travel Network reduces its booking fee and fixes this rate for three years. Richard Adams, Sabre Travel Network’s senior vice president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said: “It’s an innovative programme and we have had an immense amount of interest. It’s certainly enhanced our competitive position in markets all around the world.” About the programme – how it works: · Participating airlines commit to the highest level of participation in the Sabre GDS (DCA level) for three years. · Participating airlines provide all Sabre GDS users broad access to schedules, seat availability and published fares, including Web fares and other promotional fares, but excluding opaque fares and private discounts. · Participating airlines furnish generally the same customer perks and amenities to passengers booked through the Sabre GDS as those afforded through other GDSs and Web sites. · Sabre Travel Network provides participating airlines with a reduction to their current applicable DCA booking fee. · Sabre Travel Network fixes the DCA booking fee rate for three years. About Sabre Travel Network Sabre Travel Network, a Sabre Holdings company, provides access to the world’s leading global distribution system (GDS) and products and services enabling agents at more than 56,000 agency locations worldwide to be travel experts. Originally developed in 1960, the Sabre GDS was the first system to connect the buyers and sellers of travel. Today the system includes more than 400 airlines, approximately 60,000 hotels, 53 car rental companies, nine cruise lines, 36 railroads and 232 tour operators. Sabre Holdings Corporation (NYSE: TSG) is a world leader in travel commerce, 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 Advisory Statements in this release which are not purely historical facts, including statements about traveller confidence in obtaining competitive airline rates from all Sabre distribution channels and airlines’ acceptance of the new participation level, or other statements about anticipations, beliefs, expectations, hopes, intentions or strategies for the future, may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based upon information available to Sabre Holdings Corporation on the date this release was issued. Sabre Holdings Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Any forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from the events or results described in the forward-looking statements, including risks or uncertainties related to: the review of computer reservation system rules being conducted by the Commission of the European Union; Sabre Holdings Corporation’s revenues being highly dependent on the travel and transportation industries; airlines limiting their participation in travel marketing and distribution services; and structural changes within the travel industry, such as the financial instability or bankruptcy of many of the air carriers. Sabre Holdings Corporation may not succeed in addressing these and other risks. Further information regarding factors that could affect our financial and other results can be found in the risk factors section of our most recent filing on Form 10-Q with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. ##