Air India selects Sabre GDS to distribute its domestic flight content to Indian travel agencies

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Oct 30, 2023, 07:26 ET

The carrier is expanding geographic reach and enhancing revenue opportunities by increasing its level of participation with Sabre, including the distribution of future NDC content

SOUTHLAKE, Texas, Oct. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), a leading software and technology provider that powers the global travel industry, and Air India, India's leading global airline and a Star Alliance member, have signed an enhanced distribution deal that builds upon their partnership announced in April 2023.

Under the augmented agreement, travel agencies in India will have access to Air India's expansive domestic content through the Sabre Global Distribution System (GDS) from 1 January 2024, offering Indian travel buyers an expanded portfolio of fares and seats to better serve their customers. Air India also has the added ability to distribute New Distribution Capability (NDC) content globally through Sabre's travel marketplace in the future.

Earlier this year, the two companies signed a new distribution deal that provided travel buyers globally with access to Air India content through Sabre's travel marketplace. That agreement gave travel agencies outside of India access to Air India's domestic and international flight options, while agencies within India could shop international fares. That agreement has now been expanded to include the carrier's domestic content for points of sale within India.

"India is already one of the largest domestic aviation markets in the world, and all the building blocks are in place for significant future growth. One of our key priorities is to work with the right technology partners to capitalize on these growth opportunities as we forge ahead with our transformation efforts," said Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial & Transformation Officer, Air India. "Our collaboration with Sabre has already proven successful, which aligns perfectly with our commitment to offering convenient and accessible travel options to our guests. By joining forces with Sabre to distribute our domestic content to our domestic India market, we are further enabling travellers to explore the diverse destinations that Air India's domestic network covers and, to travel seamlessly abroad."

For Sabre, this enhanced alliance further expands its footprint in the increasingly important Indian travel market, while enhancing content for travel agents, and enabling Air India to widen its reach. Air India's comprehensive domestic network spans the length and breadth of India, connecting major cities, popular tourist destinations, and business hubs. Adding domestic content into Sabre's GDS means Sabre-connected travel agents in India will be able to effortlessly access and book Air India flights alongside other global carriers, facilitating multi-carrier itineraries and ensuring a more seamless experience for travellers.

"We're thrilled that our relationship with Air India continues to gain in strength and momentum," said Roshan Mendis, Chief Commercial Officer, Sabre Travel Solutions. "Air India has incredibly ambitious expansion plans, and adding its domestic content to our global travel marketplace will enable the carrier to broaden its distribution strategy, expand geographic reach, and enhance revenue opportunities in one of the world's fastest growing aviation markets. Bringing Air India's domestic content into our GDS reflects our dedication to empowering travel agents with rich content and enhances the value we bring to our customers."

About Sabre Corporation   
Sabre Corporation is a leading software and technology company that powers the global travel industry, serving a wide range of travel companies including airlines, hoteliers, travel agencies and other suppliers. The company provides retailing, distribution and fulfilment solutions that help its customers operate more efficiently, drive revenue and offer personalized traveler experiences. Through its leading travel marketplace, Sabre connects travel suppliers with buyers from around the globe. Sabre's technology platform manages more than $260B worth of global travel spend annually. Headquartered in Southlake, Texas, USA, Sabre serves customers in more than 160 countries around the world. For more information visit www.sabre.com.  

About Air India
Founded by the legendary JRD Tata, Air India pioneered India's aviation sector. Since its first flight on October 15, 1932, Air India has built an extensive domestic network with non-stop flights to cities around the world, across the USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Far East, South-East Asia, Australia, and the Gulf. After 69 years as a government-owned enterprise, Air India and Air India Express were welcomed back into the Tata group in January 2022. Air India is navigating through a major five-year transformation roadmap under the aegis of Vihaan.AI, with an ambition to become a world class airline with an Indian heart. The first phase of this transformation, the taxi phase was recently concluded, and focused on fixing the basics. These included bringing back to service many long grounded aircraft, addition of talent across flying and ground functions, rapid upgradation of technology and strengthening of customer care initiatives amongst others. A member of Star Alliance, the largest global airline consortium of leading international airlines, Air India offers seamless connectivity and facilities to passengers all over the world.