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Sabre joins battle with American Airlines
Sabre has become the latest global distribution system to join the battle with American Airlines.
The GDS issued a statement today saying: “For a number of months American Airlines has taken actions in an attempt to impose a costly, unproven and unnecessary system on agencies and corporations, including withholding fare content from Sabre.
“We believe these actions are harmful to our agency and corporate customers, as well as consumers, making it harder and more costly to comparison shop. Sabre is taking actions to protect its interests and those of its customers by supporting airlines who value the transparency and efficiency of the proven system we provide.â€
Sabre did not disclose details of its actions, but according to the Business Travel Coalition (BTC) Sabre has downgraded AA’s offerings in most of its displays, eliminated booking fee discounts and delivered notice of termination of its agreement with AA.
The BTC said Sabre’s actions show that this is “not a skirmish between AA and online travel agencies, but rather an all out war for the future of both airline and all travel distribution in the US and around the worldâ€.
“The stakes in this conflict are clear: either an improved airline industry and distribution marketplace centered around the consumer, or one that subordinates consumer interests to the self-serving motivations of individual airlines endeavoring to shift costs and impose their wills on consumers and the other participants in the travel industry,†said BTC chairman Kevin Mitchell.
“Single-supplier direct connect proposals, like the one advanced by American Airlines, can significantly increase costs for all distribution participants and cause massive fragmentation of airfares and ancillary fees depriving consumers of the ability to compare the total cost of air travel options across all airlines.â€
The row between American and the GDSs started at the end of last year when American Airlines decided to prevent Travelport’s sister company, Orbtiz, from selling its flights.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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