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Breakdown of Lufthansa and Sabre Deal Signals New Risks for Corp Travel

Matthew Parsons

Skift Take

The exact reasons for wanting to terminate the content deal aren’t clear, but Lufthansa’s direct-selling drive might have something to do with it.

Lufthansa Group on Tuesday informed its travel agency partners that its fares would soon be removed from the global distribution system Sabre. The cancellation of the distribution deal, which takes effect from June 30, also includes Austrian Airlines, Swiss and Brussels Airlines content. In an email to its partners, Lufthansa said it wanted to inform them "in good time and transparently about current developments" that Sabre had terminated the distribution agreement with its airlines.

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The termination also affects Abacus, Sabre's Asia-Pacific booking system. There’s been no real explanation as to why the contract won’t be renewed, which raises several questions. There are likely commercial considerations but — in the middle of a crisis — why has no extension been sought? And what happens to unused tickets booked on Sabre after the termination date?

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