Sabre: Tools, Travel and Technology

Sean Menke, President & CEO

When Christopher Columbus set out to explore the route from Europe to Asia during the 15th century, he was reliant only on maps and compass for navigation. This evidently tells us that travelling was an integral part of human life then – so as now. Navigation then was limited within maps and compasses - navigation today is also dependent on maps and compasses, only in a modified version. With technology bringing astounding solutions to the travelling sector in this 21st century, Sabre, with its comprehensive research and intelligence brings in-depth insights for travel consultants to transform the traditional approach followed by the travel industry. The name Sabre came in the light post World War II, when American Airlines and IBM jointly decided to build a data processing system to manage the airline seat reservation process. Since the rate of air travel was increasing then, it was often noticed that issues were arising in passenger servicing, booking methods and the quality of the air crafts used. Bringing a difference to these areas of mismanagement, IBM built a system, based on MIT’s air-defence project SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment), and American Airlines named it as Sabre (Semi-Automated Business Research Environment).

Sabre’s operational activities started in the year 1964 leveraging real-time processes and bringing realistic solutions to mitigate the issues generally confronted by the aviation industry across the globe then. This centralised data system brought huge success to the American Airlines and with the course of time technological revolution lead Sabre to manage several other aspects such as building multiprocessor systems, maintaining database of large fares and carrying out multi-channel communications. As a consequence, Sabre has journeyed a long way from being the world’s first computerised data system for the aviation industry to the most elite technology ecosystem for different stage of travelling experience. Persistently supporting the aviation industry with its efficient reservation system, Sabre’s flagship software support, popularly known as Sabre Airline Solutions, concentrates in marketing and commercial planning, along with enterprise operational decision making through its renowned software support named as Sabre Airline Solutions. With the help of Software as a Service (SaaS) and other hosted models, the solution proffers low ownership cost, low cost carrier, flexibility, reliability and scalability for the airline industry.

Sabre, with its diverse range of solutions, facilitates the travel industry especially airlines, hotels and travel agency customers in gaining unparallel travel experiences starting from flight reservation to hotel bookings. Sabre Property Management System – a web-based solution - supports hotel operations entailing inventory management and reservations, guest profiles, staffing, back office and payment system integration.

This web-based solution falls under Sabre’s Hospitality Solutions, which predominantly concentrates on integrated reservation system, property management systems along with distribution and marketing services enabling increment in hotel revenues and improvement in customer services. Sabre’s hospitality service uses the SynXis Central Reservation System and the Sabre global distribution system for distribution to various channels. Sabre also portrays its efficiency in consulting services and marketing strategies for online and offline merchandising solutions that includes mobile and social media marketing, website designing and software hosting services.

Sabre Travel Network is a B2B (business-to-business) travel marketplace that possesses GDS (Global Distribution System) integrated with a set of travel solutions. Travel suppliers including the airlines, hotels, tour operators, rail carriers and car rental outlets use this marketplace for promoting, personalising and selling products to travel agents, travel management companies and other travel houses serving across the globe. Even, this marketplace can be used in mobile phones as well with shopping, booking and paying online facilities. The most important aspect of the company is its authentic database that helps the travel suppliers and the travel agents to get an in-depth knowledge on the operational activities done by the customers and understand the common trends followed by them. Expediting with it unique way of guiding and helping travellers around the world with the best travel experience, Sabre also makes sure to drive customer loyalty and power business performance through Sabre Red Travel Solution.

Sabre Travel Network is a B2B (business-to-business) travel marketplace that possesses GDS (Global Distribution System) integrated with a set of travel solutions

Sabre Red Travel Solution has four benefit suites in it, visibly; Value Suite, Service Suite, Revenue Suite and Efficiency Suite. Each suite has their individual functional proficiencies. The Value Suite caters access to accurate and best-priced global travel options, while the Service Suite has the most unique personalised service that brings customer loyalty along with gaining the option of earning more money. The Revenue Suite on the other hand concentrates in reducing the operating costs and increasing the revenue scale whereas the Efficiency Suite proffers workflow management solutions, process automation tools as well as consulting services allowing efficient time management. All these innovative tools and techniques are the result of the profound knowledge and experience that Sabre possesses. Sean Menke, the President and CEO of Sabre, has been guiding his efficient team for more than six years now. Armed with proficient workforce and skilled technicians, Sabre research and intelligence team with its real-time, easy-to-use reports elevates hotel managers’ marketing theory, operational pattern and revenue management skills.

Operating from Texas, the US, Sabre has been catering to varied sectors such as, Airlines & Airports, Car Rental Services, Corporations, Cruise Lines, Developers, Government and Hotels. Sabre is growing gradually with unique innovative tools and possesses a flexible user interface platform, Sabre Red Work space, through which the travel agents can access the Sabre reservation system to get an idea of the reservation status. This platform is one of the latest creations of the company that has speed, stability and performance efficiency along with innovative flexibility. Proceeding with these new trends and technicalities, Sabre has witnessed growth and success for a long period of time and still striding to flourish more in the years to come.

- Saheli Roy Chowdhuri
January 31, 2017