I was referred by a friend. The first step was supplying CV and filling out an on-line form.
Sabre hires head hunting companies. The first phone call is from such a company and it usually lasts up to 20 minutes. It comprises very typical non-technical HR questions such as why this company; what makes you the best candidate; how will the company benefit after hiring you; how do you perceive yourself in 5 years and so on. They may also test English skills but in my case the lady just trusted me and skipped that part.
Most candidates are given another phone call from a technical person at Sabre but since I was referred by a friend they went straight ahead inviting me for a face to face interview.
In the meantime I had to make an on-line test about some business-related terms. They never told me what the result was but the HR lady assured me that it does not really matter. I probably failed badly.
The final interview has two parts: 1-2 hour conversation with prospective colleagues who ask technical questions. Following that is a conversation with the managers who ask less technical questions. However, there are also some logical, analytical and behavioral questions. They ask to solve some simple algorithmic problem on the whiteboard too.
Sometimes the interviewers are from two different teams or more. If one team does not like the candidate the other one may, which increases the chances of employment.
Right after that the interviewers escort the candidate to the exit. They cannot tell him how the interview went. The final decision will be announced by HR within upcoming days or weeks. I had to wait over two weeks but some candidates are replied to the very same day or even after two months!
The interviewers meet to fill out a form about the candidate, assessing various areas such as technical knowledge, problem solving skills, motivation and enthusiasm, soft skills, friendlyness. They share very subjective impressions and come to a final conclusion. If a candidate is not accepted he may not apply again for the next year. Otherwise, he's accepted.