Lufthansa Group airlines and Sabre sign new industry-leading distribution agreement

Mutually flexible, technology-oriented agreement fostering innovative New Distribution Capability (NDC) solutions

Diversified NDC program supporting different commercial models

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Dec 16, 2020, 08:21 ET

FRANKFURT, Germany and SOUTHLAKE, Texas, Dec. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lufthansa Group airlines, one of the worlds' leading airline groups, and Sabre Corporation, the leading software and technology company that powers the global travel industry, today announced a new, mutually flexible distribution agreement that enables modern airline retailing as well as technology innovation. Under the agreement, which covers the carriers Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, SWISS, Air Dolomiti and Brussels Airlines, Sabre will continue to distribute Lufthansa Group airlines' content through traditional connectivity to hundreds of thousands of travel agents and thousands of corporations through its global distribution system (GDS). In addition, the agreement enables the distribution of Lufthansa Group airlines' content via the New Distribution Capability (NDC) standard in the Sabre travel marketplace.

After the planned launch next year, the diversified NDC program will give Sabre-connected travel agencies globally the ability to access Lufthansa Group airlines' content through the Sabre marketplace and by signing up to one of the two available commercial models for NDC.

The agreement supports Lufthansa Group airlines' strategy to implement NDC technology and deliver personalized price offers through the newly launched Continuous Pricing. The continuation of this partnership equally supports Sabre's vision to provide distribution flexibility and evolve its global travel marketplace, as well as enable personalized retailing for Lufthansa Group airlines utilizing Sabre's industry-leading technology solutions.

"Our agreement with Sabre is a landmark deal for airline distribution. I am very excited to shape our joint path towards modern airline retailing and innovate by introducing a diversified NDC program with associated commercial models, - enabling agencies to agree bilaterally on NDC with Lufthansa Group airlines," says Tamur Goudarzi Pour, Senior Vice President Revenue Management and Distribution Lufthansa Group Network Airlines and Chief Commercial Officer SWISS. "Sabre and Lufthansa Group airlines share an ambition to innovate at the forefront of our industry. Through this new level of flexibility, we jointly enable a diverse distribution ecosystem, extend the reach of NDC and allow for differentiated commercial models. With this customer-oriented agreement, Sabre and the Lufthansa Group airlines team up to put the interests of our travel agency partners and our joint clients at center stage."

The agreement between Lufthansa Group airlines and Sabre marks a key milestone in the travel industry. It is the expression of the shared vision of interactive retailing, which enables both companies to jointly stay at the very forefront of innovation. Lufthansa Group airlines and Sabre are working together intensely to bring Lufthansa Group airlines' offer live on NDC solutions. The go-live plan for NDC will be communicated during the first half of 2021.

"Today maybe more than ever, we are looking to engage creatively with our airline and agency partners to deliver outcomes that provide added value to all players in the travel ecosystem," says Dave Shirk, President, Sabre Travel Solutions. "Sabre is committed to finding flexible, sustainable solutions that address traveler expectations, deliver against airlines' strategies, ensure scalability, and safeguard efficient agency workflows. I'm proud that we have signed a sustainable agreement with our partners at Lufthansa Group and one that provides both companies a new level of flexibility to drive a new generation of retailing."

About Sabre Corporation

Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR) is the leading technology provider to the global travel industry. Sabre's software, data, mobile and distribution solutions are used by hundreds of airlines and thousands of hotel properties to manage critical operations, including passenger and guest reservations, revenue management, flight, network and crew management. Sabre also operates a leading global travel marketplace, which processes more than US$120 billion of global travel spend annually by connecting travel buyers and suppliers. Headquartered in Southlake, Texas, USA, Sabre serves customers in more than 160 countries around the world.

About the Lufthansa Group

The Lufthansa Group is a globally operating airline group. In its home market of Europe it plays a leading role. The Lufthansa Group is made up of the business segments Network Airlines, Eurowings and Aviation Services. All business segments are among the leading providers in their respective sectors. The Network Airlines business segment includes the airlines Lufthansa German Airlines, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines. Eurowings focuses on point-to-point traffic, especially on short-haul routes. The Aviation Services include in particular the business segments Logistics, MRO and Catering.

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SOURCE Sabre Corporation