Shares VS Sabre - Savings per transaction

[SpinDoc]

Okay. So the reservations migration is done. SABRE was a decent system to work with, and had a lot of features, however, from a cost perspective, it has been said that SHARES is less expensive. Does anyone reading this forum have definitive cost comparison information? I'd really like to know the following:

1. How much did SABRE cost per reservations transaction?

2. How much does each transaction cost using SHARES?

3. Does SHARES have the same functionality and connectivity with other major reservations systems such as SABRE, Travelocity, Expedia, Priceline, and the rest?

4. Will US Airways spend the necessary funds to assure compatibility with other reservations systems and internet portals?

 

[SegmentKing]

1. How much did SABRE cost per reservations transaction?

Can be anywhere from $2.50 to $3.00 per PNR, and then they charge 20 to 30 cents per passenger boarded (including nonrevs)

2. How much does each transaction cost using SHARES?

In our last Hosting negotiations, I believe Shares was offering a "ford taurus" type product and it would only have been about 25 cents less than Sabre.

3. Does SHARES have the same functionality and connectivity with other major reservations systems such as SABRE, Travelocity, Expedia, Priceline, and the rest?

It depends on the PCA (Participating Carrier Agreement) between USAir America West and the other main systems -- such as Sabre, Apollo/Galileo, Amadeus, and Worldspan. Travelocity is on Sabre, Expedia is on Sabre as well, and Priceline is on Worldspan.

4. Will US Airways spend the necessary funds to assure compatibility with other reservations systems and internet portals?

Should already be in place... it depends on if HP kept the USAirways IET agreements (Interline E-Ticketing) as HP only had a handful, and USAir had about 10 or 15, including EDIFACT agreements (allowing other airlines to issue boarding passes, change seat assignments, online flifo, etc. For example, on USAir Sabre, you could check flifo on Midwest, American, United, Delta, and other airlines flights.

 

[ClueByFour]

They gave up all that functionality for a quarter a boarding? *boggle*

 

[ChrisUS]

They gave up all that functionality for a quarter a boarding? *boggle*

Pennywise and pound foolish

 

[PBI2FLL]

My guess is that the SHARES transition has cost US MORE money in 'LOST REVENUE' than they could have ever possibly imagined. Although they will not so much admit that. HUGE mistake in my opinion, but as they say, "IT IS WHAT IS IS" and unfortunately the frontline employees have to deal with this debacle.

 

[wench1]

1) I get my paycheck no matter how many entries I use.
2) Flights are delayed or OT I still get my pay.
3) Go in do your job, collect your pay,and its over for another day.
4) Countdown to vacation.
5) It's unfortunate but that's the way it has to be.

 

[jimcfs]

Price Of Everything, Value of Nothing
And the beat goes on.

You beat me to the punchline, Bob.

A quarter per pax is a drop in the bucket between getting a Yugo and a Hummer.

 

[Prince of PAWOBs]

1) I get my paycheck no matter how many entries I use.
2) Flights are delayed or OT I still get my pay.
3) Go in do your job, collect your pay,and its over for another day.
4) Countdown to vacation.
5) It's unfortunate but that's the way it has to be.

You're right! I'm solidly with you.

Wow! A whole quarter saved per transaction. That's incredible! Unless anyone can refute that figure, I would have to say that is the single biggest boneheaded move US Airways executives have ever made.

 

[SegmentKing]

You're right! I'm solidly with you.

Wow! A whole quarter saved per transaction. That's incredible! Unless anyone can refute that figure, I would have to say that is the single biggest boneheaded move US Airways executives have ever made.

I don't know for a fact that its exactly a quarter difference. But when you consider that's 25 cents x 100,000 PNR's a day, it can add up quick.

Plus I don't know if the version of Shares offered was the same as what US bought into.. there are just too many variables... but the airline in question from my original post decided to stay with Sabre after watching the issues with US unfold.

 

[BuffaloJoe]

I don't know for a fact that its exactly a quarter difference. But when you consider that's 25 cents x 100,000 PNR's a day, it can add up quick.

Plus I don't know if the version of Shares offered was the same as what US bought into.. there are just too many variables... but the airline in question from my original post decided to stay with Sabre after watching the issues with US unfold.

So does the $475 airfare x 100,000 pnr's a day. Or whatever the average is. If the company is that tight, contact NW about saving stuff out of their trash bins. :down:

 

[ChrisUS]

I don't know for a fact that its exactly a quarter difference. But when you consider that's 25 cents x 100,000 PNR's a day, it can add up quick.

Plus I don't know if the version of Shares offered was the same as what US bought into.. there are just too many variables... but the airline in question from my original post decided to stay with Sabre after watching the issues with US unfold.

What about the loss in productivity? Everything takes longer to accomplish. I spoke to a local agent who had an international reissue that was in Euro's. WITH the help desk, it took 2 HOURS!

 

[SegmentKing]

Tad, correct me, but I did one of these in Sabre and using the TIPS mask, it took me about 15 minutes (quick call to PIT Help Desk, Jasmine & Paul!).

So, 15 minutes for a Supervisor + Jasmine/Paul from Help Desk cost USAirways Group maybe $10 in labor... 2 hours of an experienced agent, PLUS help desk: $50!!

 

[tadjr]

Yeah, you want to see an agent freak out, just pull out an international ticket. They were bad before most of the time, but now its terrible. Many of the international segments arent in the computer yet, so I dont even bother trying to get it done alone. Just pick up the phone and call international and hope it doesnt take forever to get thru. (I love it when the customer says, "They make you wait on hold too?") Yes they do. Meanwhile the line just keeps getting longer.

 

[singh4us]

Yeah, you want to see an agent freak out, just pull out an international ticket. They were bad before most of the time, but now its terrible. Many of the international segments arent in the computer yet, so I dont even bother trying to get it done alone. Just pick up the phone and call international and hope it doesnt take forever to get thru. (I love it when the customer says, "They make you wait on hold too?") Yes they do. Meanwhile the line just keeps getting longer.

LOL!!! Sad but true, we hear this all the time at the SS desk. As if on the other end of the line, the caller ID reads: US Employee of US Customer!!! We just put the call on speaker phone and then the customer hears: "Your call will be answered in approximately 21 minutes!!" :down:

 

[eolesen]

1. How much did SABRE cost per reservations transaction?

Dunno about the total transaction, but you have at least two components: a GDS booking fee and host transaction costs. There might be a third component based on pax boarded.

GDS fees run between $1 and $3 per segment.

Host transactions run around $0.004 per [ENTER], so if you figure there are around 20 [ENTER]s to build and ticket a PNR, you're looking at $0.80 to build the PNR. Figure another ten entries for check-in, ACS edits, EGR, plus a portion of the gate agent entries used at the flight level, i.e. pulling up priority lists, checking the ON count, seat swaps, etc. and you get another $0.40 per segment.

So far, that comes out to about $3 in transaction costs for a 4 segment booking, $12 in booking fees, for a whopping $15 per PNR.

3. Does SHARES have the same functionality and connectivity with other major reservations systems such as SABRE, Travelocity, Expedia, Priceline, and the rest?

For the most part, yes on PNR creation. Where it is said to really be lacking is codeshare automation. I think you're screwed as far as "seamless" connectivity with Star Alliance is concerned.