British Airways Joins Sabre DCA Three-Year Option
January 05 2004 - 8:15AM
PR Newswire (US)
British Airways Joins Sabre DCA Three-Year Option Move Provides
Three Year Commitment From Airline to Sabre GDS, Reduces BA
Distribution Costs and Automatically Gives Sabre GDS Users Access
to All BA Fares SOUTHLAKE, Texas, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Sabre Travel Network, a Sabre Holdings company, today announced
that British Airways has joined its Direct Connect Availability
(DCA) Three-Year Option. This program 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. "This innovative program helps us
significantly lower our distribution costs, while ensuring that
Sabre Connected travel agents automatically have access to the full
range of British Airways fares," said Dale Moss, director of sales
worldwide at British Airways. "By making all our published fares
available through the Sabre GDS we are making agents as competitive
as any of our other sales and distribution channels." The move by
British Airways, the first major European carrier to participate in
the program, brings to 24 the number of airlines participating in
the DCA Three-Year Option, including all of the 'Big Six' US
carriers. 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 all their published fares.
This includes published fares that the airlines sell through any
third-party Web site or their own Web sites and reservation
offices. Sabre Connected agents do not need to opt in for this
access. In return, Sabre Travel Network reduces its booking fee and
fixes this rate for three years. "The DCA Three-Year Option is a
win-win-win for all parties," said John Stow, president of Sabre
Travel Network. "British Airways significantly lowers its
distribution costs, travel agencies are able to enhance their
competitiveness and customer service, travelers gain wide access to
key British Airways fares, including Web fares, through the channel
of their choice and Sabre Travel Network gains a three year
commitment from the airline. In addition, through this agreement,
Sabre Connected agencies in the U.K. gain competitive advantage
through automatic access to all fares with no imposed supplements."
About the program - 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. -- 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/ Statements in this release which are
not purely historical facts, including statements about traveler
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 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 on the date this
release was issued. Sabre Holdings 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 computer
reservation system rules proposed by the Department of
Transportation; Sabre Holdings' 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 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 Securities
and Exchange Commission. DATASOURCE: Sabre Travel Network CONTACT:
Nanci Williams of Sabre Holdings Corporation, +1-682-605-2271, or
Web site: http://www.sabre-holdings.com/
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