Originally Posted by
CXBA
* choose to rely on connection through their overcrowded and dysfunctional european hubs to reach other destinations. You may thank Lufthansa for their asinine insistence on the subject, that made impossible getting LAN on board without triggering a huge antitrust probe on both sides of the ocean, something that both Chilean and Brazilian authorities basically have reckoned well on time. Don't really understand your remark about China business ties, a quick search shows * Chinese willing to travel with TAM have to transfer at MXP, and no direct flights are scheduled as of now.
Reality is the best option for TAM development was joining OW, period. */LH did nothing to develop your home market and in the end they had to find external members to avoid being rendered irrelevant on the whole South American market. I understand your frustration as a * diehard supporter, but really the blame on the situation is pretty clear for me, and it lies to LH policies.
You can get an Air China flight to São Paulo. Not codeshare. I think the route is Peking - Madrid - São PAulo. So there you go.
The reality is that Lan bought TAM, and therefore is controlled by it. Since Lan has a major role in OW when it comes to South America, it was more than clear that this was the path TAM would end up in (but actually, Latam C.E.O. said earlier in 2010 that TAM being in Star Alliance was for the best interest of the company, but it was not acceptable).
I think you have a point in what you said, but at the same time you are not considering the majority of people that use the airline, which are brazilian people. And this is the point. It may be better some people, but it will be bad for many many others. I am not a diehard fan of any alliance. The thing is that SA was and still is the best option for us. Being business or leisure. And if you talk about overcrowded and dysfunctional european hubs, that's because you've neve been in any major brazilian airport. And I still cannot see how great Heathrow (and Barajas) airport are when comparing with the others. If only Heathrow was Changi, Incheon or even Schipol... but cleary isn't.
If one day OW starts having more companies operating here (right now only AA, IB, BA, Lan) then I will start rooting for it. Right now.. no thanks.
So we are desperately hoping for Avianca to buy TAP so we manage to get SA again in Brazil.