British Airways and Sabre today announced a three-year distribution agreement that guarantees full content to subscribers. The deal represents the second GDS agreement BA has signed following the expiration of content deals late last month, the first being with Galileo.
Sabre subscribers based in the United Kingdom and Ireland must elect to join the global distribution system's opt-in program to be shielded from BA's £3 per segment surcharges for reservations booked through nonpreferred channels beginning April 10. "Agents outside of the U.K. and Ireland will have access to full content without the requirement of an opt-in program," a Sabre spokesperson said today.
Sabre issued a statement that its opt-in program in the United Kingdom would give subscribers "the complete range of published fares that British Airways sells through its own Web site, any third-party Web site, and its own reservation offices" if subscribers agree to "adjusted financial terms with Sabre Travel Network." The GDS said it would further detail its program "shortly."
BA executive vice president of the Americas Robin Hayes earlier this month said the carrier began paying GDS rack rates when content deals expired late last month, but had yet to levy surcharges on customers
(BTN, March 19). The carrier is seeking new agreements with Amadeus and Worldspan.