Sabre achieves NDC Level 3 status and announces new agency and airline partners

Sabre Beyond NDC programme was established to drive forward implementation, development and testing of the new standard Continue reading →

Sabre has announced a slew of new partnerships with airlines and travel agencies as part of its Beyond NDC programme.

Strategic deals have been struck with United Airlines, BCD Travel, Finnair, American Express Travel & Lifestyle Services, Singapore Airlines and Corporate Travel Management.

The leading US GDS and technology supplier has also been designated NDC-Certified Level 3 as an aggregator by Iata, the aviation body behind the new NDC standard.

The new certification is in addition to Sabre’s previously announced NDC Level 3 capability as an IT provider.

Sabre Beyond NDC programme was established to drive forward implementation, development and testing of the new standard.

Kathy Morgan, Sabre vice president of NDC, said: “IATA Level 3 certification is another key step in developing holistic NDC-enabled solutions and we’re proud of this achievement, but the real work is being done in close collaboration with our airline and agency partners.

“Together we will demonstrate a genuine capability to deliver end-to-end solutions at scale.”

Sabre said nearly 80% of all air shopping in its agency platform Sabre Red Workspace starts with schedule and availability queries.

Together, United Airlines and Sabre are working on schedule- and availability-led shopping solutions that were presented to attendees of Iata’s NDC Implementation Forum earlier this month.

Tye Radcliffe, United’s director of distribution, said: “The Beyond NDC program uniquely positions United and Sabre to deliver a win-win-win for the travel ecosystem.

“Our agency-friendly approach to shopping is just one example of the work being done as we build upon the NDC standard and develop technology that shapes a traveler’s end-to-end journey from offer creation through fulfillment.”

Thane Jackson, vice president, global distribution and channel strategy at BCD Travel, said: “Business travellers today want and deserve an engaging shopping experience that lets them customise their preferences.

“Their employers demand not only the ability to search and shop multiple sites, but also access to robust, reliable and up-to-date data for cohesive itineraries, actionable reporting and duty of care. Sabre’s Level 3 NDC certification is a very positive step towards achieving those important goals.”

“We are pleased to be part of the Sabre program, actively working with agencies and airlines to advance both the vision and reality of NDC,” said Kalle Immonen, head of distribution and revenue protection at Finnair.

“We are excited about the ability for Finnair to distribute new retail offerings to a broader global audience in a highly attractive and efficient way. Collectively we will move toward higher scale of adoption and value for all involved.”

And Campbell Wilson, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Singapore Airlines, said: “Personalised service and customer choice have long been Singapore Airlines’ hallmarks. NDC accords us the opportunity to extend these values beyond our traditional touchpoints, so we are pleased to join Sabre’s Beyond NDC program to help develop practical, scalable solutions for the industry and to encourage broad adoption.”