Sabre Corporation will lay off 9 percent of its workforce, or about 900 people, the company said during its second-quarter earnings report. Sabre employed 10,000 at the end of 2016.
The job cuts are part of a cost-trimming and reorganization program that the company said will save $110 million a year. The reductions come via an initiative to “streamline and focus the business through reorganizing certain functions, reducing layers of management, and lowering costs to enable a more nimble, faster moving and focused organization,” the company said.
According to the Dallas Business Journal, the company said that “from time to time, we adjust staffing to meet business requirements and opportunities, just like any well-managed company must do.”
“Over the last several months, we have had an open and ongoing conversation with our customers, employees and investors about our need to prioritize our product offerings and investment strategies,” the statement reads.
Sabre has continually faced challenges as airlines have pushed customers to buy tickets through their websites instead of its global distribution system used by travel agents, reports the Star-Telegram. It has attempted to diversify by adding hotel property management software suites and desktop software that allow travel agents to sell extra services offered by airlines such as seats with extra legroom.
Sabre has also been fighting a legal battle with American Airlines. A jury awarded American $15 million, saying Sabre violated antitrust laws by forcing airlines to sign contracts that prevented airlines from providing airfares to travel agents through direct connections that did not involve Sabre’s global distribution system. Sabre is appealing the ruling.