Sabre Travel Network announced plans to launch a Virtual Miscellaneous Charge Order (vMCO) solution to help travel agents book flights and other miscellaneous transactions that are not yet e-ticketable. The new solution adds to Sabre’s existing suite of products designed to help agents and airlines transition to a 100% e-ticketing environment.

Available from 1 June, ‘Sabre vMCO’ addresses concerns voiced recently by UK and Canadian agency organisations that some transactions would not be e-ticketable in time for IATA’s 31 May 2008 100% e-ticketing mandate.

British Airways is one of the first airlines to endorse the use of Sabre’s vMCO solution.

“Moving to a 100% e-ticketing environment is one of the most significant industry initiatives ever undertaken, and we’ve been working with airline and agency customers to proactively address gaps where e-ticketing won’t be available,” said Martin Cowley, Senior Vice President for Sabre Travel Network in EMEA.

Agents using ‘Sabre vMCO’ will be able to arrange for passengers to receive a paper ticket at the airport when an airline or route is not yet e-ticketable. The solution can also be used to pay for miscellaneous transactions such as excess baggage vouchers and exchange fees, as well as “Pre-paid Ticket Advices” (“PTA") and “Tickets on Departure" (“TOD”) for which e-ticketing is not yet available.  

Sabre’s vMCO solution will be completely automated, passing transaction details to IATA's Billing and Settlement Plans, and an agency’s mid and back-office systems for a fully integrated, end-to-end solution.

“Our agents around the world already issue over 93% of their tickets as e-tickets – a figure that is steadily rising as we focus on enabling e-ticketing for remaining airlines and thousands of other interline carriers. Sabre agents can also issue single e-tickets for passengers travelling on multiple carriers, using data from more than 6,100 Interline E-Ticket (IET) agreements we already have in our system," said Cowley.

Sabre Travel Network’s sister company, Sabre Airline Solutions, is also working closely with airlines to help them transition to an e-ticketing environment, offering a solution called ‘SabreSonic Ticket’ to help airlines distribute electronic tickets through its own sales channels and travel agencies, as well as check in passengers with electronic tickets, and issue IETs.

“More than 150 airlines use ‘SabreSonic Ticket’ IET ‘hub’ to facilitate e-ticketing with participating carriers, eliminating the need for bilateral agreements and special connections,” said Cowley.

IET hub-connected carriers include British Airways, KLM, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, US Airways and Northwest Airlines.