Hi FOlks ,...

Look at what I've just come across !

Cheers
Mauricio
(sorry for the long reading...)

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Business


Lauda Air mulls Star Alliance deal

LAUDA Air is considering joining a global airline alliance this month, with Niki Lauda -- founder and chairman of the Austria-based airline -- saying Star Alliance would be the carrier's first choice.

At a press conference here yesterday, Lauda revealed that his airline currently had three options. The first is to choose Star Alliance, because the global airline network's leader and co-founder, Lufthansa, also has a 20 per cent interest in Lauda Air.

The second option is to join Air France, which recently announced a plan to form a new global alliance. Finally, Lauda said he could join the Qualifier frequent-flyer alliance programme.

''Lauda Air and other airlines in the Austrian Airlines group agreed to make the decision by the end of September,'' he said.

In addition, Lauda Air will withdraw from Hong Kong from the end of October this year. Lauda said his carrier's Hong Kong service business had dropped sharply since the hand-over of the territory to China two years ago.

''Lauda Air will cut all of its flights from Vienna to Hong Kong, in order to concentrate on Bangkok and Phuket. The Hong Kong service could not make any money,'' he said.

The service use to be one of Lauda Air's best Asian revenue-producing routes, according to a statement from the airline. Lower tourism demand in Hong Kong is another reason for the airline's withdrawal.

Lauda added that the regional economic crisis had severely affected the company's overall Asian business.

For its Thai service, he said, Lauda Air would concentrate on Bangkok as its Asian hub. It will operate five flights per week from the end of this year.

Meanwhile, Lauda Air has just launched a new promotion for Thai business class passengers to destinations in three countries: Germany, Italy and Austria. Fares are being offered at Bt48,000, compared to more than Bt80,000 before the promotion.

Watanyu Sirichana, sales manager Thailand of Lauda Air, said the promotion had been launched following the upsurge in outbound Thai tourists since the beginning of the year.

The number of outbound Thai tourists grew 23 per cent during the first seven months of the year to 859,788, according to a report by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

BY CHOOSAK JIRASAKUNTHAI

The Nation

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