Sabre introduces new airline storefront with “shelves”

Sabre has rolled out its new airline storefront, an industry-first capability that makes it easier to comparison-shop complex airline offers in the indirect channel.

The new airline storefront delivers initial shopping results that include airlines’ complete product lines. It eliminates confusion caused by different fare naming conventions and organises a broad set of inventory across multiple airlines to enable improved comparison shopping.

Travel agents can now easily comparison-shop complex airline offers

This move is a step towards Sabre’s vision to create a new marketplace for personalised travel.

The new airline storefront capabilities are available via Sabre’s shopping APIs, which travel retailers can leverage to build a bespoke storefront and enhance their customers’ experience.

Kathy Morgan, vice president, offer sourcing, Sabre Travel Solutions, explained in an online media briefing that the new airline storefront provides a framework for “shelves” on which airlines can display content side-by-side to help drive more informed decisions.

“Shelves” are defined by specific attributes such as exchangeability, refundability and baggage allowance that qualify the product for placement on a shelf.

She added: “For airlines, the new airline storefront supports differentiation and more merchandising opportunities in the indirect channel, with flight search results displaying several product offerings for an individual flight.”

Wade Jones, chief product officer for Sabre Travel Solutions, noted: “Airlines have invested in differentiating their brand in a number of ways. While this creates greater choice for travellers, it also presents a challenge – it’s easy to understand the cost, but harder to understand what the experience will be. Sabre’s new airline storefront not only empowers airlines to effectively market their unique product in the indirect channel, it also helps travel buyers communicate the total offer value.”

Sabre has partnered with multiple agencies such as Fareportal, the travel technology company powering CheapOair.com and OneTravel.com; and Espressamente Viaggi, part of TravelMatic, a travel technology company in Italy, to test the new storefront capabilities.

Initial pilot results demonstrate the ability of the new airline storefront to deliver a broader set of upsell opportunities with more transparency into each fare.

In a press release issued by Sabre, Werner Kunz-Cho, CEO of Fareportal, commented: “Our customers demand choice paired with convenience and simplicity – this is not always the case with today’s airline shopping experience. Consumers want to compare products and offers quickly and efficiently, just as they do in a shop. That’s exactly what Sabre’s new airline storefront delivers: it allows us to group products for easy comparison, just as a supermarket arranges similar products on the same shelf. Ultimately, this modern retailing enables us to deliver an enhanced traveller experience that centers around offer value.”

Mimmo Christofaro, CEO at TravelMatic, shared: “In today’s world, travel agents are under increasing pressure to ensure that travellers receive the offer that is right for them based on their specific needs and preferences. As a result, we require a solution that allows for quick and easy comparison across offers to help drive more informed decisions. Sabre’s new airline storefront makes all relevant content available in the initial shop and, as such, we are able to increase agent efficiency and encourage upsell.”

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