The second annual Sabre Airline Forum, sponsored by Oman Air, attracted more than 150 top executives from lastminute.com, Emirates, and Alshamel International
.

The attendees heard the latest industry trends and growth predictions and got sneak previews of new products and solutions from Sabre, said an official spokesman.

“In economically challenging times, staying focused on your customers and ensuring you have the right solutions and service for them is imperative,” said CEO of Sabre Travel Network Middle East Daniel Naoumovitch.

“That’s why we have a philosophy of investing for the future - in next-generation solutions that enable our customers and the industry to thrive and return to the growth rates characterized by this region in recent years.”

Topping the list of trends was “airline merchandising” and how airlines could maximise revenue through bundling or unbundling their products.

“This is a significant area of focus for many airlines around the world. Some airlines choose to unbundle the base fare, giving passengers the ability to pay for services they want such as seat-selection, while others are taking a bundled approach, creating a tiered family of fares with bundled services,” added Naoumovitch.

In keeping with this trend, Sabre unveiled a next-generation merchandising tool to help travel agents and consumers shop and book travel content in an entirely new way that also fits with how airlines are bundling and unbundling their service offerings.

When booking travel, Sabre’s Attribute Based Shopping takes agents and consumers beyond the standard screen showing various airfare options, with the ability to include or exclude certain product or service attributes, varying the total price accordingly. 

Through Sabre’s new solution, agents and consumers will now be able to choose from a list of products and services they wish to purchase.

For example, the information provided on Sabre’s Attribute Based Shopping screen will allow the shopper to include additional optional charges, if applicable, for products and services such as seat selection, baggage charges, lounge access, trip insurance, and onboard meals, among other features. 

After selecting the desired service and product options, agents and consumers can then make a quick and easy fare comparison of flights from a single supplier or comparatively across airlines, as they wish.

Sabre’s new Attribute Based Shopping is due to be launched in 2009. – TradeArabia News Service