airberlin topbonus - Air Berlin to join One World

27.7.2010 14:30:00 - OMX Helsinki, News
Finnair Plc Investor News Finnair and Air Berlin to cooperate in Europe-Asia traffic
The oneworld airline alliance and Air Berlin, Germany's second largest airline,
have agreed that the airline will become a member of the alliance. Air Berlin
is expected to join the alliance at the beginning of 2012. At the same time
Finnair and Air Berlin also agreed on bilateral cooperation.

Finnair and Air Berlin begin a code-share cooperation in November 2010, within
which the companies plan to cooperate commercially in traffic between Germany
and Finland, and later in Finnair's Asian traffic. At the same time, the
companies also plan to cooperate in terms of their frequent-flyer programmes.

"For Finnair, cooperation with Air Berlin will provide a stronger foothold in
Central Europe, which will support Finnair's Asian strategy significantly,"
says Finnair's President & CEO Mika Vehviläinen.

"Air Berlin's network covers the area of Europe with the highest purchasing
power. Cooperation will lead to numerous new, fast connections from
German-speaking Central Europe via Helsinki to Asia. We will provide for
business passengers a competitive alternative, which will boost our corporate
sales in an important market," says Vehviläinen.

For Finnair's Finnish customers, closer cooperation with Air Berlin will also
open up new destinations in both German-speaking Europe and the Mediterranean
area.

Finnair Plc
Communications
27.7.2010

I´m not familar with the Finnair´s network.
Any idea how this cooperation could expect Air Berlin customer´s Asian destination choices?

Finnair's focus of expansion has been East Asia for a while. They have a very comprehensive network to Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya - better than BA, same as LH). They also fly to Seoul, Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai.

And HEL is in the right direction when flyig to East-Asia from Central/Western/Southern Europe. Look at great circle mapper.

TXL-HEL-PEK is 4627 miles.

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=TXL-hel-PEK

TXL-ZRH-PEK is 5376 miles.

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=TXL-ZRH-PEK

TXL-LHR-PEK is 5670 miles.

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=TXL-LHR-PEK

http://www.airberlin.com/site/landingpages/oneworld_EN.html

Has anyone seen information about when they'll officially be a OW member?

Kingfisher has already joined, and AB was saying beginning of 2012. Haven't seen any more news or information.

I would've expected to see some signs of change...maybe new signage at the airports, or them introducing a new level of topbonus? Will they have an equivalent of emerald?

Has anyone seen information about when they'll officially be a OW member?

Kingfisher has already joined, and AB was saying beginning of 2012. Haven't seen any more news or information.

I would've expected to see some signs of change...maybe new signage at the airports, or them introducing a new level of topbonus? Will they have an equivalent of emerald?Kingfisher hasn't joined yet. They do on Feb 10.
Air Berlin joining OW is stated as "Early 2012", not beginning. "Early" could be anything before May. The last news we had about Air Berlin was on November 2 and that was mostly an update and release of an advertising campaign about their joining the alliance.
It is believed, though by no means confirmed, that Air Berlin will join OneWorld on June 3, when the new BER airport opens.


If they don't created a third elite tier, then they'll likely do what BA did. Not have Ruby.
topbonus Classic would be nothing, topbonus Silver would be OW Sapphire and topbonus Gold would be OW Emerald.

If Silver becomes Sapphire, it will be rather easy Sapphire.

airberlin and Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will integrate their frequent flyer programs from January 15, 2012, as they roll out their recent partnership."

http://www.airberlin.com/site/pressn...=3567&LANG=eng

Your link doesn't work. Try this: http://www.etihadairways.com/sites/Etihad/global/en/aboutetihad/mediacenter/newslisting/newsdetails/Pages/etihad-and-airberlin-combine-frquent-flyer-rogram-to-celebrate-partnership-jan12.aspx?fromNewsListing=true

I don't think this should be problem with OW. CSA works with Etihad too and they are still in SkyTeam ;)

Please note that Etihad owns share in airberlin.

Has anyone seen information about when they'll officially be a OW member?

Kingfisher has already joined, and AB was saying beginning of 2012. Haven't seen any more news or information.

I would've expected to see some signs of change...maybe new signage at the airports, or them introducing a new level of topbonus? Will they have an equivalent of emerald?

I asked the AB facebook team a couple of weeks ago and they told me that it is still scheduled for april 2012.

Since they are working on ther IT at the moment to fit into the OW system I am optimistic that april could work.

S.

I wonder how they gonna handle lounges. They got their own at 3 airports in Germany, but what about other airports? Just third-party lounges?

I'm especially interested what will happen with VIE base - I suspect that once Skylink will be opened they move more flights to jetbridge gates (so less flights from B gates) and perhaps take over some premises which are now used as OS lounges (which will be moving to Skylink terminal)?

I wonder how they gonna handle lounges. They got their own at 3 airports in Germany, but what about other airports? Just third-party lounges?

I'm especially interested what will happen with VIE base - I suspect that once Skylink will be opened they move more flights to jetbridge gates (so less flights from B gates) and perhaps take over some premises which are now used as OS lounges (which will be moving to Skylink terminal)?

It is unlikely that the start to establish own lounges everywhere soon. The easiest and most flexible way is to relay on 3rd party lounges and on the lounges of other OW Airlines.

But if they really want to attract premium costumers there will be no alternative as to rise the number of AB branded lounges within the next years. (maybe OW does require them to do that)

S.

Your link doesn't work. Try this: http://www.etihadairways.com/sites/Etihad/global/en/aboutetihad/mediacenter/newslisting/newsdetails/Pages/etihad-and-airberlin-combine-frquent-flyer-rogram-to-celebrate-partnership-jan12.aspx?fromNewsListing=true

I don't think this should be problem with OW. CSA works with Etihad too and they are still in SkyTeam ;)

Please note that Etihad owns share in airberlin.

AA partners with Etihad, so it's certainly not a problem for OW.

AA partners with Etihad, so it's certainly not a problem for OW.

"partnering" is a lot less than "integrating" - as in "Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, and airberlin will integrate their frequent flyer programs from January 15, 2012, as part of the rollout of their recent partnership."

As I read it, Etihad and airberlin will have one FFP - just like LH and LX have.

"partnering" is a lot less than "integrating" - as in "Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, and airberlin will integrate their frequent flyer programs from January 15, 2012, as part of the rollout of their recent partnership."

As I read it, Etihad and airberlin will have one FFP - just like LH and LX have.

Unless Etihad is planning on joining oneworld, that's a really interesting arrangement. Miles in EY mileage accounts now could be used to redeem on OW through airberlin in the future.

Not sure that's really a disqualifying factor, and Etihad has no other alliance, and with no word from AB or OW, I wouldn't assume the worst.

I still think OW is good for airberlin, and Etihad alone doesn't jive with what they've said is their expansion plans, especially to north america.

I still think OW is good for airberlin, and Etihad alone doesn't jive with what they've said is their expansion plans, especially to north america.

... and AB is good for OW!

To me it seems that they will have separate programs, but advantages will be shared through airlines - for example, topbonus Silvers would get priority check-in and security even when flying Etihad and vice versa. I might be wrong though.

I mailed AB TopBonus to know which status will I have in One World and I simply got the answer they do not know yet (or they do not provide the info yet).

And around TXL you can see a lot of advertisement like this one:
Image (http://images.oneworld.com/ow_library/library/110831_abe90d1009a_oneworld_kampagne_hh%20hi%20res .jpg?wid=219&qlt=90&cvt=jpg)

source : http://evolution.oneworld.com/news-information/oneworldnews/details/print/?objectID=27244&print=1

Mexicana logo just under the plane nose.... up to you to judge.

May be OT, but

if I'll fly out of DUS as OW Emerald on AB coded flight in two weeks- will I get access to any of lounges?

"partnering" is a lot less than "integrating" - as in "Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, and airberlin will integrate their frequent flyer programs from January 15, 2012, as part of the rollout of their recent partnership."

As I read it, Etihad and airberlin will have one FFP - just like LH and LX have.

The arrangement between Etihad and airberlin is not a merger of FFPs, but a close alignment similar to the relationships AS has with AA and DL. The AB program will practically treat all EY flights as AB flights, but this will probably not affect other OW carriers' arrangements with EY.

Many OW carriers including AA, do treat JL codeshares on non OW metal (MU being the main partner) as JL flights for mileage credit, but this is a rare exception to the norm.

Many OW members have a special arrangement with a non OW airline (AA/AS, JL/MU, LA/JJ, QF/JQ, AY/BE, IB/VY, BA/EC), with the exception of the JL and QF partnerships, these relationships have no effect on other OW members. The only thing that sets AB/EY apart is that AB appears to be the junior partner in the arrangement.