Brussels Airlines is the first European carrier to sign up for Sabre’s Branded Fare distribution.
Bundled fares, sold by Sabre as Branded Fares, are tickets that include specific extras, which could include a meal, baggage, ticket changes and refunds.
The move means the airline can sell its bundled fares to travel agents via Sabre’s global distribution system under a particular name.
Brussels Airlines will have five Branded Fares on offer: Business Flexible, Business Semi-Flexible, Economy Flexible, Economy Semi-Flexible and Economy Restricted.
Elisabeth Martins, Sabre’s commercial director UK and Ireland, said the use of Bundled Fares makes it easier for agents to differentiate between ticket types.
It removes the hassle of searching for various airline products, services and fares, and then calculating the total cost of the ticket, she told ABTN at the Business Travel Market in London's Excel.
“Agents know the fares by name,” said Martins. “Plus all the information is there and it’s easy to read.”
Branded Fares can be useful for corporate travel bookings, she added, as business travellers often ask for tickets which include an extra bag and the ability to change tickets at the last minute.
The trend for branded fares started in the US, said Martins, with Air New Zealand and Aeromexico the pioneers.
“We expect more airlines to sign up for Branded Fares,” she said, adding that the current barrier for airlines is often in deciding on the types of fares they want to offer.
“They have to sit down with the revenue and marketing teams and decide what they’re going to do with their fares. They have to choose a name as well.”