Newsstand - Swissair is considering offering itself for a tie-up with British Airways

Swissair is considering offering itself for a tie-up with British Airways, which could upset the latter's merger talks with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, London's Mail on Sunday newspaper said.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/business/business-swissair-ba-.html

Very interesting. Until now, SR has been quite skeptical towards the idea of a tie-up with BA. It has agreements with most other oneworld airlines (AA, CX, QF, Finnair).

BA's alliance is going to be very different in a few months. It could be:
SR, SN, BA, AA et al
or
KL, BA, NW et al

I would be surprised if BA and SR got together because of the AA issue. AA is SR's partner, but will BA / AA ever get clearance?

Doc: How many times do I have to tell you about 'reading' the UK Sunday papers? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Nick

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Just for the record, Nick, (and BTW, I do get your point! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif) it was a secondary source, the "reliable," if not liberal, NY Times where I'd read of this "possible" matter! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

And so it would now seem that they too subscribe, to some degree, to the "EDUTAINMENT" philosophy of news! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Hey, tabloids make lots of money! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

And generate lots of discussion(s)! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Whether this is true or not seems unclear but what a relief and a strong option it would be for us European frequent flyers if BA went with SR/SN instead of KL. BA and us who like to travel with them surely deserve better than KLM.

If BA ties up with KL/NW, though, it not only gives them great North Atlantic strength, it absolutely preserves BA's status as a quality brand. No matter what damage Ayling may have inflicted, all BA has to do is stand next to KL and NW and they automatically look like the Rolls-Royce of the alliance. That would be a harder trick with SR, SN, CO...

Are you really trying to tell me that CO compare favourably with BA?!

Out of interest, in the chat the other night Randy said he thinks it is 50/50 that BA will go multi-Alliance and join SkyTeam with DL, AF et al., some time in 2001. Caught my attention.

Gosh - these alliances are always changing. Just in the last few years:
SQ - Global Excellence (DL/SQ/SR) --> Star Alliance
OS - Atlantic Excellence --> Star
SR, SN - Atlantic Excellence --> AA - oneworld???
Canadian - oneworld --> Air Canada - Star
EI, Finnair - Delta --> oneworld
Varig - Delta --> Star

[This message has been edited by leroy11 (edited 09-26-2000).]

Well, James, I haven't flown the new Club World, but I'd put CO's Business Elite up against the current BA business class product any day. And BA World Traveller was nothing to brag about last time I was in it (admittedly a year ago). So, yes, I think CO compares well with BA.

SR denies (yesterday evening, swiss TV) officially EVERYTHING written in that Sunday newspaper - but at the same time say they are talking (about cooperations) with a lot of airlines ... all the time.

Yep, World traveller is c**p, but how does COs first class compare with BAs and how about their respective route networks?

If the objective of BA was to be the Rolls Royce within its own alliance, then the strategy is easy: just tie up with Ethiopian Airlines, Air Uganda and Lithuanian Airlines. And I'm sure these airlines would be happy to join a BA-led alliance http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Seems to possibly be something to it! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum40/HTML/000179.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum15/HTML/000552.html

Originally posted by Merry:
Doc: How many times do I have to tell you about 'reading' the UK Sunday papers?

I do remember the U.K. papers reporting Ayling's pendng seperation from BA in the weeks leading up to the event, with the usual strong denials by BA and the insiders in the U.K. usenet groups.......

Originally posted by james:
Yep, World traveller is c**p, but how does COs first class compare with BAs and how about their respective route networks?

But CO doesn't have a premium international first class, just a domestic one that is probably better than european business class (at leats in seating). CO also doens't have a history if having been a national flag carrier.

[This message has been edited by terenz (edited 09-25-2000).]

Originally posted by leroy11:
Gosh - these alliances are always changing. Just in the last few years:
SQ - Global Excellence (DL/SQ/SR) --> Star Alliance
OS - Atlantic Excellence --> Star
SR, SN - Atlantic Excellence --> Star
Canadian - oneworld --> Air Canada - Star
EI, Finnair - Delta --> oneworld
Varig - Delta --> Star

SR and SN joining Star? As of when?

Terenz:

Woops - my bad!!

Observers generally expect that SairGroup will sooner or later join either the Oneworld airline alliance led by British Airways and American Airlines or Lufthansa's Star alliance.
http://biz.yahoo.com/apf/010312/swissair_shakeup.html

Yet, on the other hand, some see them going with Skyteam! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/confused.gif
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum114/HTML/000055.html