CMA: Airlines Foresee Waning GDS Reliance But Mixed On Sabre-Farelogix

Airlines plan to rely on global distribution systems less and direct websites and GDS-bypass more. Most airlines that signed a GDS contract in the past three years used during negotiations the threat of shifting bookings. Meanwhile, a plurality of airlines expressed concerns about the pending Sabre-Farelogix tie-up. These are among the findings of a U.K. Competition and Markets Authority survey of 29 airlines, including some of the largest in the U.S. and Europe, fielded as part of its months-long probe into the Sabre-Farelogix deal.