Thanks for all your comment. Very insightful views ...
Originally Posted by
Goldorak
Air Calin : I think they don't want to join an alliance, otherwise they would have already joined Skyteam easily, ...
I'm quite surprised by this. Yes, they are currently using FB as their FFP. So the next logical step would be to take part in the alliance, no?
Are they holding out so that they can have codeshares with other non-ST airlines?
Originally Posted by
Goldorak
Royal Air Maroc : ... So it seems that AT is moving away from Skyteam, unfortunately.
I read this news too ...
But I hope that the discontinuation of the codeshares with DL will not discourage AT joining ST. ST needs to improve the connections within Africa, or at least that part of Africa. Star Alliance is well ahead in this part of the world.
Originally Posted by
Goldorak
Copa : ... So I don't see why and how they could come back to Skyteam.
The fact that they have not formally joined Star Alliance gives a chance to rejoin ST. They left ST mainly because CO (their main partner) at that time left ST. It would be good to have another Central American airline to compliment the coverage in the Americas. Copa is currently expanding into South America, and would provide connections to the northern South America, with Aerolinas Argentinas providing coverage on the southern continent.
Originally Posted by
Goldorak
There is no more associate status, only full membership.
Is this true as a permanent change?
I thought they did a one-time upgrade for the then associate members to full members. But the associate status is still available, except that there are no airlines in this category at the moment.
Originally Posted by
rurouni212
As far as Transaero goes, they are more likely to join *A more then anyone else. That's even assuming they join anyone at all. Even if they did join an alliance, skyteam is the least likely since it already has aeroflot (Although I suppose aeroflot could start up another merger).
Agreed that Star Alliance is the only alliance without a Russian partner and would be most likely to snatch Transaero. But I hope ST can pull a fast one, like they did in China, and swipe most of the major airlines within the same region. Transaero is quite a nice airline.
Not sure if the Russian government has any rules to prevent more than one major airline into the same alliance (similar to the Indian rule) ...
Originally Posted by
Yaatri
Why Iceland Air?
U.L. would have been a good addition, but not a replacement for an Indian carrier. There is no way UL can ever cover India. A full service Indian carrier can do everything UL can for Skyteam, than UL can.
Iceland Air is perhaps the few remaining of the full-service airlines within Europe that is not taken yet. Quite a nice airline and decent coverage between North America and Europe.
UL would not replace an Indian carrier, I agree. But with the situation now in a standoff, OW did a good pitch to invite UL to provide decent coverage in terms of network. For OW, they do have a gap in that part of the region between CX and RJ. Also, I love their fares. Would have loved to rake up miles on UL, especially the premium miles.