Sabre Travel Network,is instituting a new policy for any airline participating in the direct-connect availability (DCA) three-year program which charges a fee on tickets issued through Sabre that is not also applied to the airline`s own website. The policy goes into effect for Northwest Airlines in response to its announcement imposing new ticketing fees on all domestic tickets issued through U.S. and Canadian travel agencies using a global distribution system (GDS).

Sabre has concluded such behavior is contrary to the letter and the spirit of the DCA 3 agreements.

We are taking proactive measures to protect consumers from hidden and selective fare increases. And we are standing up for online and offline travel agents, who have long-provided great service to consumers and corporations, said John Stow, president of Sabre Travel Network.

Under the new policy, Sabre will take a series of actions applicable to any airline not honoring its commitment to provide fare parity for Sabre users. Initial actions include:

• Ensuring more prominent display for those carriers providing the full complement of fares as required under the agreement;



• Discontinuing access to system data and tools enjoyed by other DCA 3 participants;



• Withholding a portion of the discounts available under the DCA 3 program.

The Sabre DCA 3 program was introduced in late 2002 and was applauded by the travel industry for its role in eliminating fare confusion in the marketplace. It is unfortunate that Northwest Airlines is attempting to reintroduce that confusion; it is anti-consumer and anti-travel agent, Stow said.

Northwest Airlines signed the DCA Three-Year Option in July of 2003. The agreement guarantees Sabre Holdings access to all published fares, promotions and services of a participating airline. This includes all fares that the airline sells through any third-party Web site and through its own Web site and reservation offices. Additionally, the airline agreed to provide equal opportunities for Sabre connected agents to have access to promotions that the airline may make available through other channels, including competing reservation systems and third-party Web sites.