Sabre has launched its seamless merchandising solution with Air New Zealand so Sabre-connected travel agents in Australia and New Zealand can shop, book and fulfill the airline’s ancillaries in the Sabre global distribution system (GDS).
                                                                               
The first ancillary fare Air New Zealand has made 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.”

Sabre provides travel suppliers and buyers worldwide the most efficient way to market and sell ancillaries. In addition to Air New Zealand, which also sells it fare families in the Sabre GDS, Sabre has enabled the sale of ancillaries for United Airlines, Aeromexico, WestJet, Qantas and Malaysia Airlines and continues to work with other airlines to do the same including US Airways.

Sabre uses industry-developed technology standards, including Electronic Miscellaneous Document (EMD) to help airlines quickly bring new products and services to the marketplace.  Industry-developed technology standards also allow travel agents to easily market and sell airlines’ offerings by efficiently managing the increasingly complex world of comparison shopping. 

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.

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.

“Sabre’s focus is to develop innovative solutions that meet the needs of our travel agency and airline customers.  We are thrilled to provide our customers with a solution to shop, book and fulfill ancillaries from within their workflow’’ said Hans Belle, vice president and general manager, Sabre Travel Network - Asia Pacific. “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.”