DALLAS — The battle over airfare ticketing escalated Wednesday when Southlake, Texas- based Sabre Holdings Group said it will stop distributing American Airlines inventory later this year and will make it harder for travel agents to book American fares right now.
Sabre, which runs the world’s largest travel-agent network, said that unless it strikes new terms with American, it will end its current deal to provide American’s fares to travel agents in August. That’s a month ahead of the termination date for the contract between them.
Sabre also will end discounts for American Airlines, essentially raising the Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier’s costs for Sabre’s network, which was built by American Airlines parent company AMR. Sabre will change how American’s fare results appear for travel agents, hurting its position relative to competitors.
Sabre is poised to join top online-travel-agency sites Expedia and Orbitz, neither of which displays American’s inventory for shoppers. American said it’s still in talks with both online travel agencies to reach new terms for distribution.
Sabre-owned Travelocity isn’t taking any action like Expedia or Orbitz; what’s less clear is how Travelocity will respond if American’s fares aren’t available in Sabre later this year.
At issue is American’s Direct Connect service, a computer portal it’s asking travel agencies to use to access American’s ticket inventory instead of using Sabre or other global distribution systems that American considers “middlemen” between customers and the airline.
