Originally Posted by
nacho
But then it might turn out like Japan - ANA or JL. I have only flown JAA a long time ago but both airlines are good (probably because they are Japanese). I don't want to have to pick between AFKL/LH. I want more competition to press down the price. Now they are so big that they can fix prices and do whatever they want.
But you are already there, if you want to exclude the low cost carriers. You can pick between LHG/AFKL/IAG. And currently a few niche players, Lot, TAP, Air Europe, and SK.
The Japan market is quite different, passengers pay a hefty premium and are willing to pay a hefty premium to fly with JANA INTERNATIONALLY. Domestic there is a host of other airlines but the market is regulated and most of the independent airlines are no more independent than being effectively either part of team red or team blue.
Almost all major airlibes fly to Japan, the only ones with a worse schedule from Europe than SK is KL. And a lot of Asian LCC flies to Japan. Apart from Tokyo, JANA has very limited long haul flights, that's all left to partners or competitors. So you actually have a wide choice, and all the foreign carriers are actually cheaper than JANA.
From an alliance perspective, Skyteam is just awful in Japan. Without a local airline, there are so many destinations that you can't make it to without connecting. Even Hong Kong would suddenly require a stop Seoul or Taipei, where JAL and Cathay would offer 8 flights a day from Tokyo.