Originally Posted by graraps

Is this for real?

What have you lot been smoking?

MA got into oneworld because they couldn't make the criteria that would allow them become a full ST member. They got offered a ST associate membership under CSA, and turned it down when they realised that OW badly needed a C. European member after their negotiations with LX had failed. Presumably, given the circumstances, OW offered more flexibility in terms of joining criteria.

Due to a number of reasons (not least being based in the only European country that boasts 3 carriers in the big alliances), IB have been focusing away from short-haul, and they have turned most of their European services into LCC (through both the removal of complimentary service and wholesale shifting of non-MAD routes to XG). Purchasing what must be Europe's most elaborate full-service airline, based in a relatively weak O&D market and dependent on a very generous FFP for connecting premium traffic would amount to a gigantic waste of resources for them. Plus the integration of OK into Skyteam is very deep, its connecting services sustaining a number of longhauls to PRG from places like ICN and ATL that will never have enough O&D demand.

Given that AFKL have just embarked on an Alitalia adventure and that LH have bought virtually all the airlines in the region and don't need another one, CSA is either going to stay independent for a little while more (it's doing, erm, OK financially) or get bought by a non-airline consortium (private equity was being discussed last time privatisation was in the news) or SU. Deal with it!

Apologies for having injected some facts into the discussion- baseless speculation can now continue.