Air New Zealand is first airline to use Sabre’s EMD for complete shopping and selling of airline’s ancillaries in the GDS
SOUTHLAKE, Texas, July 28, 2011 -Sabre has launched its seamless merchandising solution with Air New Zealand, leveraging industry technology standards, including Electronic Miscellaneous Document (EMD), so travel agents can shop, book and fulfill the carrier’s ancillaries in the Sabre global distribution system (GDS).
The first ancillary fare Air New Zealand will make available to Sabre Connected travel agents is pre-paid bags. Over time, the carrier expects to add other ancillaries into the Sabre GDS and Air New Zealand spokesman Richard Thomson says that “Air New Zealand is looking forward to growing its ancillary sales through Sabre.”
By leveraging industry technology standards developed by ATPCO to file airlines’ fares and ancillaries and IATA’s standard to fulfill purchases via EMD, Air New Zealand will offer its first ancillary for sale through the Sabre GDS.
Using this technology framework, Sabre’s merchandising capabilities for airlines and travel agents allow the sale of any airline product or service in an automated process fully integrated into travel agents’ workflow, allowing them to quickly and efficiently serve travelers.
In addition to helping airlines quickly bring new products and services to the marketplace, the use of industry-developed technology standards also allows travel agents to easily market and sell airlines’ offerings by efficiently managing the increasingly complex world of comparison shopping.
Select travel agents are testing the solution now.
Sabre’s merchandising capabilities are another innovative solution in the Sabre Red Workspace, helping agencies serve the needs of both travel suppliers and travel buyers.
Air New Zealand has long been a leading, innovative airline. They were the first carrier to introduce the concept of merchandising their products within “fare families” in 2002 and enhanced the ability for agents to sell those fare families through the use of Sabre Branded Fares in 2010.
“Sabre’s focus is to develop innovative solutions that meet the needs of our travel agency and airline customers. Expanding our merchandising capabilities is another way we help airlines increase revenues and get closer to their customers, while maintaining the streamlined operational efficiencies important to travel agents,” said Chris Kroeger, senior vice president of Marketing, Sabre Travel Network . “Air New Zealand has been a terrific collaborator on this breakthrough new merchandising solution and we applaud them for leading the way in using industry technology standards.”
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Sabre Travel Network provides technology solutions to the global travel industry. It operates the world’s largest travel marketplace, connecting travel buyers and sellers through the Sabre global distribution system (GDS). Its innovative software connects more than 350,000 travel professionals to more than 400 airlines, 93,000 hotels, 25 car rental brands, 50 rail providers, 13 cruise lines and other global travel suppliers. More than 300 million people purchase airline tickets through this channel annually.
Sabre Travel Network is part of Sabre Holdings, a global travel technology company serving the world’s largest industry- travel and tourism. Its innovative technology is used by more than a billion people around the world to plan, book and get to their destination at a time and price that’s right for them. For more information, please visit: www.sabre.com.
Media Contact:
Nancy St. Pierre
Sabre Holdings
+1 682-605-3864
Nancy.st.pierre@sabre.com
