Travel agencies using the Sabre
global distribution system (GDS) will not be affected by the distribution supplement announced by British Airways
yesterday.  These agencies will be able to view and book British Airways fares through the Sabre system exactly as they have always done, with no extra cost or negotiation.
Sabre Travel Network said this was because British Airways had signed its DCA Three-Year Option, a programme that reduces airline booking fees in return for participating carriers guaranteeing to make all their published fares available in the Sabre GDS.  This includes fares sold through third-party Web sites, and through participating airlines’ own Web sites and reservation offices. 

“By signing up to the DCA Three-Year Option British Airways was able to achieve the level of savings it needed to make on bookings made through the Sabre GDS,” said Hamish Broom, Sabre Travel Network’s director of airline, hotel and car distribution for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.  “It is therefore business as usual for Sabre Connected travel agencies and online travel sites.”

The agreement also means that Sabre Travel Network’s travel agency customers will have unprecedented access to all British Airways’ published fares.  The airline’s fares available through the Sabre GDS are now guaranteed to be just as competitive as any of British Airways’ published fares, including those on ba.com.
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