[Travelandtourism] Updates with Sabre GDS software issues

[cheryl echevarria]

For those who do not know what I am talking about a little summarize on this.
Robert Jaquiss from the Jernigan Institute was in touch with me last week about a travel professional in California who was having issues with the updated version of Sabre, this is a GDS system that travel professionals use mostly with large travel agencies, with many agents that work for them.  This Gentleman has been doing this for over 25 years, and he is in a managerial position, so this software is very important for him to use to keep  track of what all the other travel agents are doing within the company.
I had contact there customer support team via e-mail, I got an e-mail back, here is the exact e-mail below.  And before anyone gets there knickers in a ball, let me finish the e-mail because it has a great outcome as well.
Hi Cheryl, This issue was brought to my attention today; it alarmed me since it sounds as a complaint towards the Sabre integrity, which makes me sad to hear. Sabre by any circumstances requires blind agents to complete a form or send a letter, the fact that a Sabre agent had told this agent that we never heard about a blind agents may have sound too rude, and I would like to apologize for that. Even though Sabre will accept a blind agent, of course, Sabre is  not designed to be used by blind people, and according to my  research there are no plans of Sabre on developing such tool that would allow blind persons to use Sabre.If MySabre was used by this blind agent without any problem this is not because MySabre hsd been developed for blind people;My Sabre platform has migrated to Sabre Red, and even though we still allow some agents to remain on this old platform as an exception, by the end of 2012 all agent should migrate to Sabre Red, since the old platform will sunset. In order to allow an exception we require a letter from the agency with the purposes of the request, this is to any agent that will request this exception. It is bad news to hear that this agent cannot perform his daily work in Sabre Red. If you can please expedite more information on why he cannot use it, I will be happy to share them with the programmers in charge, to see if there are plans to modify this or if there might be a work around for this agent to use the system; I definitely need more reasons on why he cannot use it towards using MySabre. While researching I found a Cooperation Agreement between Travelocity and the Blind Federations; this may mean that Travelocity is developing something specific for the blind. I would suggest the customer get in touch with Travelocity to find out more  Best regards,  Luciana MatosQuality Support

Now, I had heard from Kathy O'Shaughnessy, Sr. Director Operations and Customer Support, Global Customer Support Center.  Ms. Matos' boss, and lets just say Ms. Matos got the book thrown at her shall we, we had a telephone conference with each other yesterday.  Ms. O'Shaugnhessy has e-mailed me first to apologize for this incorrect information that Ms. Matos had given out.  So we spoke.
The information stating that  they need to fill out a form  stating that they are blind is definitely not correct. That Sabre is well aware of the issues, and have accepted my help in contacting the Jernigan Institute for help in getting the Java Scripting up to Par.
I sent her the information for Ann Taylor, and hopefully all will be right as rain, I plan on being in touch with Ann myself, to see if Sabre has indeed followed up on there promise to contact us for the help.
So, there is the update.


Cheryl Echevarria, PresidentPresident at nfb-travel.orgTravel and Tourism DivisionNational Federation of the Blind631-236-5138 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            631-236-5138      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

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