New *A LatAm Members (April) COPA, AVIANCA-TACA
May 16, 2012, 10:07 am
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: YYZ
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Posts: 14,132
May 16, 2012, 9:14 pm
#32
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MEX-LIS
Programs: QR-PLT, AM-Platino, TK-Elite
Posts: 298
I've reposted the links. Could you see them now?
By the way I was in PTY today and the lounge dragon said that because CM is still not officially *A, they will only admit *G pax on CM metal on their discretion if the lounge is not full. *G card will be asked.
The lounge itself is rather small for a hub airport.
Side note: It seems that all CM metal have a *A logo on them now.
By the way I was in PTY today and the lounge dragon said that because CM is still not officially *A, they will only admit *G pax on CM metal on their discretion if the lounge is not full. *G card will be asked.
The lounge itself is rather small for a hub airport.
Side note: It seems that all CM metal have a *A logo on them now.
May 18, 2012, 2:54 pm
#34
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Zurich
Programs: BA GGL, TK*G EL, KL P ELPL, ex AB P, ex LH/LX Sen, HHonors D4L, Bonvoy P
Posts: 1,647
I flew on Copa from IAD to PTY, earlier today. During check-in, I asked if I could collect miles on Star Alliance programs (either LH or TK). The answer was as expected - no, because we aren't *A member, as yet. So far they just sticked to the rules (I'm not complaining about it).
What then came was more surprising. I asked for the lounge - and the check-in supervisor said since I was LH SEN I could use the LH lounge. Now this is not really according to the rules, as you can use LH lounges only if flying on same day *A flights. But I tried and got in
Bottom line, there seem to be some discretionary privileges, not only in PTY, as far as Lounge access is concerned - but not if it comes to mileage earning.
What then came was more surprising. I asked for the lounge - and the check-in supervisor said since I was LH SEN I could use the LH lounge. Now this is not really according to the rules, as you can use LH lounges only if flying on same day *A flights. But I tried and got in
Bottom line, there seem to be some discretionary privileges, not only in PTY, as far as Lounge access is concerned - but not if it comes to mileage earning.
May 22, 2012, 9:52 am
#35
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: yvr
Programs: AC
Posts: 568
Arrived in PTY today...no problems with lounge access using star alliance gold. (non-united). Points a different story...had to collect on my old continental/now united number. Other star alliance programs not accepted.
May 23, 2012, 2:01 pm
#36
In Memorium
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K-3.5MM; AA Exec. Plat.; Hyatt Diamond; Marriott Platinum
Posts: 356
UA announces Code Share with Avianca; tickets on sale today
I just asked question in the United Plane Chat on Twitter and learned that today they announced UA code share with Avianca with tickets for sale today for travel commencing in late June.
May 28, 2012, 5:19 pm
#37
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Atlántida, Canelones, Uruguay (MVD) and rarely GNV
Programs: AV LifeMiles, CM ConnectMiles, BA Exec Club. Former:ex-ASGold, ex-UA1K, ex-COPlat, ex-NWGold.
Posts: 2,673
Code share of UA with AV and FF reciprocity (already exists UA/TA) does not prove that AV/TA are ever getting around to joining *A.
AV/TA also did a big codeshare/reciprocity deal with SkyTeam member Aeromexico just this March, only weeks before AV/TA were supposed to be joining *A.
I'm not convinced that AV/TA is ever going to join *A. Copa, yes, of course, because their native FF program is that of a *A airline.
With every AV/TA delay in joining *A, the more I'm convinced that LAN will end up in *A (with TAM JJ then of course remaining in it), and that AviancaTaca will eventually end up in SkyTeam. Despite any announcements in the past.
If you were Copa, would you want AviancaTaca in Star Alliance? Now if your Big Daddy were a founding member of *A, and you use that *A member's FF program, what do you think might happen?
AV/TA does not have to wait until JJ leaves star in order to join star. The Chilean court's ruling simply says that after 1 year post-merger, LATAM must renounce AT LEAST ONE of the two alliances it is in. AND that it cannot join the alliance that AviancaTaca is in or is in process of joining.
Guess what? It's 3 days before June, and AviancaTaca is still not in any alliance. If AviancaTaca does not join Star, there is zero barrier to LAN joining its sister TAM in Star. NO barrier at all. And Star has in the past announced they are wooing LAN.
Avianca Taca:
2 months late in joining.
No notification of when they are joining.
Do a major codeshare/FF deal with a major SkyTeam carrier 2 weeks before their original *A joining date.
We're either looking at AV/TA becoming the fabulously promiscuous Alaska Airlines of Latin America, with cross-alliance codeshare and reciprocity bilateral deals;
Or, we're looking at AviancaTaca becoming the cornerstone of SkyTeam's South America strategy. The miserable Aerolineas Argentinas certainly cannot fill that role. In fact, Aerolineas is currently for SkyTeam filling the same role as Air India did for Star. As in, "sucks too bad to be allowed to enter."
Copa is of course joining Star, and it's probably just technical stuff in the way. I'd guess it's UA/CO systems merger stuff, given how tied into CO Copa has been since forever, and how messy the UA/CO IT/Policies/FFP/Platform merger has been.
But it's in nobody's interest for AviancaTaca Group to go ahead with plans to join Star Alliance. It's in everybody's interest for finding them a profitable face-saving way NOT to join *A. The UA announcement this past week is part of that facesaving, and also an interim (or possible long-term ongoing like AS with both DL and AA) non-alliance profitmaking arrangement.
AV/TA also did a big codeshare/reciprocity deal with SkyTeam member Aeromexico just this March, only weeks before AV/TA were supposed to be joining *A.
I'm not convinced that AV/TA is ever going to join *A. Copa, yes, of course, because their native FF program is that of a *A airline.
With every AV/TA delay in joining *A, the more I'm convinced that LAN will end up in *A (with TAM JJ then of course remaining in it), and that AviancaTaca will eventually end up in SkyTeam. Despite any announcements in the past.
If you were Copa, would you want AviancaTaca in Star Alliance? Now if your Big Daddy were a founding member of *A, and you use that *A member's FF program, what do you think might happen?
AV/TA does not have to wait until JJ leaves star in order to join star. The Chilean court's ruling simply says that after 1 year post-merger, LATAM must renounce AT LEAST ONE of the two alliances it is in. AND that it cannot join the alliance that AviancaTaca is in or is in process of joining.
Guess what? It's 3 days before June, and AviancaTaca is still not in any alliance. If AviancaTaca does not join Star, there is zero barrier to LAN joining its sister TAM in Star. NO barrier at all. And Star has in the past announced they are wooing LAN.
Avianca Taca:
2 months late in joining.
No notification of when they are joining.
Do a major codeshare/FF deal with a major SkyTeam carrier 2 weeks before their original *A joining date.
We're either looking at AV/TA becoming the fabulously promiscuous Alaska Airlines of Latin America, with cross-alliance codeshare and reciprocity bilateral deals;
Or, we're looking at AviancaTaca becoming the cornerstone of SkyTeam's South America strategy. The miserable Aerolineas Argentinas certainly cannot fill that role. In fact, Aerolineas is currently for SkyTeam filling the same role as Air India did for Star. As in, "sucks too bad to be allowed to enter."
Copa is of course joining Star, and it's probably just technical stuff in the way. I'd guess it's UA/CO systems merger stuff, given how tied into CO Copa has been since forever, and how messy the UA/CO IT/Policies/FFP/Platform merger has been.
But it's in nobody's interest for AviancaTaca Group to go ahead with plans to join Star Alliance. It's in everybody's interest for finding them a profitable face-saving way NOT to join *A. The UA announcement this past week is part of that facesaving, and also an interim (or possible long-term ongoing like AS with both DL and AA) non-alliance profitmaking arrangement.
May 29, 2012, 7:13 am
#38
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: PC Plat Ambassador, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Carlson Silver, Lifemiles Diamond
Posts: 25
Code share of UA with AV and FF reciprocity (already exists UA/TA) does not prove that AV/TA are ever getting around to joining *A.
...
With every AV/TA delay in joining *A, the more I'm convinced that LAN will end up in *A (with TAM JJ then of course remaining in it), and that AviancaTaca will eventually end up in SkyTeam. Despite any announcements in the past.
...
With every AV/TA delay in joining *A, the more I'm convinced that LAN will end up in *A (with TAM JJ then of course remaining in it), and that AviancaTaca will eventually end up in SkyTeam. Despite any announcements in the past.
I don't see AV getting cozy with SkyTeam, as they have never been particularly close to it (and I have yet to read anywhere when the AeroMexico code share is supposed to start operations).
That said, I totally agree that AV silence on the issue might be working against them... they really should be keeping the public informed on progress rather than be so quiet about it.
May 29, 2012, 8:52 am
#39
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: Thai, Cathay, Lufthansa, Delta, SPG, Hilton, IH, LHW
Posts: 292
Today, I would give MarkXS a 70/30 in his favor. I personally wish to have AV/TA joining *A...so I'm not in favor of his point...but I would bet this is what is going to happen.
See the silence of even the CEO of *A....
Now if Lan would leave OW...that would be an all-changer game...
My bet...LANTAM remain in OW
Copa joining this summer *A
And skyteam is picking up what they can....
The bets are open, because in the coporate, nobody is speaking (because they are still in the middle of negociating...obvious...)...and when an airline is supposed to join in Arpil, if in June they are not even speaking, it's no good...
At least ET had an explanation for their dealy to join *A...and a vague new date...
So far...not a single idea for a date for AV/TA, as well as Copa...
This is not an Air India/Kingfisher mess...this is the game of SA airlines alliances for the next 5 years...and the poker is open!
See the silence of even the CEO of *A....
Now if Lan would leave OW...that would be an all-changer game...
My bet...LANTAM remain in OW
Copa joining this summer *A
And skyteam is picking up what they can....
The bets are open, because in the coporate, nobody is speaking (because they are still in the middle of negociating...obvious...)...and when an airline is supposed to join in Arpil, if in June they are not even speaking, it's no good...
At least ET had an explanation for their dealy to join *A...and a vague new date...
So far...not a single idea for a date for AV/TA, as well as Copa...
This is not an Air India/Kingfisher mess...this is the game of SA airlines alliances for the next 5 years...and the poker is open!
May 31, 2012, 1:28 pm
#40
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MEX-LIS
Programs: QR-PLT, AM-Platino, TK-Elite
Posts: 298
I'm now in at Copa Club lounge in PTY and had a chat with a nice lounge dragon.
It appears that CM staff have been told that their entry date will be 21 June. The delay is not due to Copa but rather other *A members as well as the exit of BMI this month.
Let us see now. This is the third delay so far. Meanwhile, their nembership looks convincing as I'm getting all the *G benefits except miles.
It appears that CM staff have been told that their entry date will be 21 June. The delay is not due to Copa but rather other *A members as well as the exit of BMI this month.
Let us see now. This is the third delay so far. Meanwhile, their nembership looks convincing as I'm getting all the *G benefits except miles.
Jun 3, 2012, 9:06 am
#41
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 108
Avianca from CCS
I flew Avianca from CCS today. I intended to check the lounge access for *G, but unfortunately Avianca doesn't even have a lounge in CCS.
Check-in was a bit surprising: there were six check-in agents and only one spoke English. The one handling me did not even know the words "Window" and "Aisle". As a consequence, I couldn't really have an extended discussion about the inofficial *G benefits they're granting at the moment.
I noticed that she had printed a boarding pass for one of the last rows; then the supervisor joined, and printed a new boarding pass for row 8. It turned out that rows 7 to 9 had no one sitting in the middle seat. So maybe this was an inofficial benefit for being *G? (The boarding pass explicitly mentioned "LH*G" under FFP).
While boarding, several people with Senator cards asked whether they could board with the business class passengers, and the answer was apparently yes.
Check-in was a bit surprising: there were six check-in agents and only one spoke English. The one handling me did not even know the words "Window" and "Aisle". As a consequence, I couldn't really have an extended discussion about the inofficial *G benefits they're granting at the moment.
I noticed that she had printed a boarding pass for one of the last rows; then the supervisor joined, and printed a new boarding pass for row 8. It turned out that rows 7 to 9 had no one sitting in the middle seat. So maybe this was an inofficial benefit for being *G? (The boarding pass explicitly mentioned "LH*G" under FFP).
While boarding, several people with Senator cards asked whether they could board with the business class passengers, and the answer was apparently yes.
Last edited by fptxenemit; Jun 3, 2012 at 2:19 pm
Jun 5, 2012, 2:31 pm
#42
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: LAX
Programs: UA 1P 1MM
Posts: 718
Just noticed on United's website that you can now get UA PQMs on TACA flights, starting on June 1st.
https://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/mar...spx?ItemId=441
Certainly good news instead.
https://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/mar...spx?ItemId=441
Certainly good news instead.
Jun 5, 2012, 3:55 pm
#43
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 79
Just noticed on United's website that you can now get UA PQMs on TACA flights, starting on June 1st.
https://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/mar...spx?ItemId=441
Certainly good news instead.
https://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/mar...spx?ItemId=441
Certainly good news instead.
Any idea if LACSA and Taca Peru are included under these accruals?