The ratings reflect Sabre Holdings Corp.'s leading position within most of its major businesses and its relatively strong financial profile. Sabre is a major provider of travel marketing and distribution services to the travel industry. Sabre owns the leading computer reservations system (CRS), responsible for booking close to 40% of the world's travel agency airline reservations. In addition, Sabre owns Travelocity.com (it acquired the 30% it did not already own in April 2002), the largest consumer on-line travel booking site; and GetThere, the leading provider of web-based travel reservations systems for corporations. The travel industry began to be affected by reduced levels of travel bookings at the start of 2001 due to the economic slowdown. This trend was exacerbated by
