Southwest Airlines Co. and Sabre Corporation have come to terms on a new full participation distribution agreement that enables the two companies to continue offering business Customers access to the carrier's low fares and legendary Customer service in 2021 and beyond. Under the agreement, Sabre will continue to distribute Southwest's content through traditional connectivity to corporations, government agencies, and TMCs through its global distribution system (GDS).
"Providing our content in Sabre GDS with industry-standard capabilities has continued to be a top priority of our Customers. While we've been in discussions with Sabre for well over two years, we had not made much progress until recently on an agreement that balances the health of all our channels. We are thrilled to come to terms that are mutually beneficial for our customers and continue our long-standing partnership with Sabre," said Southwest Airlines Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Watterson. "Southwest set out with a maverick spirit to democratize the skies five decades ago with a vision to introduce a whole new way to travel. As we embark on our 50th anniversary in 2021, that vision is alive and well as we set a path to emerge from this pandemic."
Under the agreement, Sabre will distribute Southwest Airlines flights and services through its travel marketplace, providing Sabre connected-agencies and other travel buyers with uninterrupted access to Southwest Airlines content. This agreement reflects a broader relationship between the two companies and will deliver richer capabilities to travel buyers, including improved schedule and inventory accuracy; last seat availability; and real-time booking functionality and the ability to modify Southwest bookings within Sabre. Implementation teams will work swiftly to bring Southwest online at full-participation in 2021.
"Sabre is pleased to expand our partnership with Southwest in providing broad access to Southwest content, especially as companies evaluate their travel needs in 2021. We recognize the importance of having Southwest content in our marketplace, and by reaching this mutually beneficial agreement before year end, we will continue to deliver uninterrupted access for our customers. At Sabre, we are committed to partnering with airlines and agencies in creative ways to deliver the retailing and distribution solutions that meet customer needs on both sides of the travel marketplace," said Chief Commercial Officer for Sabre Travel Solutions, Roshan Mendis.
