Sabre Travel Network has strengthened its airline customer base in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Since the start of the year 26 carriers from across the region have either started selling their products through the Sabre global distribution system (GDS) or have upgraded their participation.

Among the thirteen new participants are Air Madrid and Azerbaijan Airlines, while those upgrading their participation include Middle East Airlines, Air Astana, STAR Airlines, Maersk Air, Kuwait Airways and a number of Eastern European carriers.

Hamish Broom, Sabre Travel Network’s European director of airline, hotel and car distribution, said the number of new carriers choosing to distribute through a GDS was a reflection of the good value the technology was still able to offer. And strong growth in the number of participation upgrades reflected growing use of the Sabre system by travel agencies across the region.

Broom said this was particularly true for eastern Europe, where Sabre Travel Network’s presence has been boosted by a recent deal with Russian carrier Aeroflot. The deal is set to make the Sabre system the largest GDS in Russia.