Sabre buys airline information service Prism, probably the big acquisition disclosed in secret docs

Prism, a New Mexico, US-based airline customer management system provider, was snapped up by Sabre today for an undisclosed fee.

The deal is believed to be the acquisition Sabre informed investors about in confidential documents in May this year, meaning the price paid for the company could be in the region of $90 million to $125 million.

Sabre says Prism will become part of the Airline Solutions division.

Prism has a number of services in its product portfolio, including Avion, corporate travel management system, and SIS (Sales Information System), a web based airline information system for management of sales and contract information.

An acquisition has been in the offing ever since Sabre disclosed plans to investors in late-April this year, confidential papers which also outlined a proposed offering of senior secured notes in the private placement market, worth $400 million.

The deal was expected to close by the end of June this year.

A Sabre official declined to comment on the terms of the Prism deal or the papers.

Even at the lower range of $90 million, the purchase price is one of the highest Sabre has paid for an acquisition since it bought European online travel agency Lastminute.com in 2005 for $1.2 billion. GetThere was snapped up $757 million in 2000.

Between 2002 and 2006, when Sabre was a public company and disclosed its finances to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Sabre made a string of acquisitions alongside the purchase of Lastminute.com, including Zuji ($35 million), SynXis ($41 million), Dillon Communications ($30 million for remaining 49% interest) and Site59 ($44 million).

Since going private the company has bought a number of technology or service providers including SoftHotel (2011), F:WZ (2010), Flightline Data Services (2010), Caladris (2010) and EB2 (2008) – all for undisclosed sums.

Sabre Airline Solutions president Hugh Jones says:

“The addition of Prism to Sabre Airline Solutions will position us to better help airlines improve their relationship with corporations. Prism adds another set of unique capabilities to our best-in-class portfolio.”