Record numbers of online travel bookings are being made through Sabre Airline Solutions’ SabreSonic Web internet booking engine, the company claims.
More than $1.5 billion of travel was booked directly with airlines using the tool, averaging more than $340 million a month in the January 1-May 31 period. Sales revenue in May was 36% up over the same period in 2004.
SabreSonic Web delivered increased passenger bookings, with a 50% rise in the first five months of the year.
A growing trend for air travel to be booked directly on airline websites has fuelled the growth together with increased use by airlines of Sabre Airline Solutions’ online booking engine. Ten airlines have started using SabreSonic Web in the past 18 months.
Sabre Airline Solutions airline passenger solutions president Gianni Marostica said: “The online booking numbers and revenues of our airline customers continue to escalate because of the flexibility and ease of use of our internet booking engine.
“Self-service, particularly online, is becoming a measure of an airline’s level of customer-friendliness and travellers are clearly comfortable with booking directly with carriers who offer efficient online booking, check-in and ticket exchanges.”
Report by Phil Davies
