Sabre has unveiled an airline retailing platform SabreMosaic designed to enable carriers to move to new distribution capability (NDC), or ‘offer and order’ retailing, while maintaining legacy distribution channels and technology.
US-based travel tech company Sabre, which operates one of the major global distribution systems (GDSs), developed Mosaic to move airlines “away from the limitations of today’s PNR” [passenger name record] systems to an offer-and-order approach and “a more personalised and dynamic retailing experience, while creating new revenue opportunities”.
The platform has a modular and open technology structure, using Google AI and Google Cloud architecture, and should allow airlines to select “the API-based offer-and-order solutions that best meet their needs”.
It has been endorsed by carriers including American Airlines, Virgin Australia, Oman Air and Air Serbia. A full roll-out is expected later this year.
SabreMosaic comprises 10 new product ‘suites’ as well as Sabre’s existing ‘Retail Intelligence’ solutions such as Air Price IQ, Ancillary IQ and Upgrade IQ, and is built to function in both a PNR-based and offer-order environment.
It should give airlines the ability to “define, manage and retail” airline and third-party content, as well as distribute a wider variety of offers across channels, while supporting the management and fulfillment of offers including settlement of traditional and non-traditional types of payment.
The company suggested: “SabreMosiac will help airlines transform all aspects of the retailing process.”
Sabre president and chief executive Kurt Ekert said: “Defining and building the next generation of airline retailing solutions has been a significant investment and strategic priority for Sabre, and we’re well down this path.
“Today’s announcement marks an important milestone on our path to delivering a fully open, modern and flexible retailing platform.”
Google Cloud chief executive Thomas Kurian added: “Airlines are becoming sophisticated retailers and need the same data-driven insights as other consumer services.”