AS as Potential oneworld Connect Member?
Jun 8, 2018, 1:25 pm
#16
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https://www.flyertalk.com/articles/o...o-connect.html
Several OW members currently have earn and burn arrangements with AS, would make sense to enhance benefits for customers who use AS for US connections - particularly when AS offers nonstop service to/from a non-AA hub, requiring another connection. One consideration: how would Parker feel about such an arrangement, after recently ending its relationship with AS.
Several OW members currently have earn and burn arrangements with AS, would make sense to enhance benefits for customers who use AS for US connections - particularly when AS offers nonstop service to/from a non-AA hub, requiring another connection. One consideration: how would Parker feel about such an arrangement, after recently ending its relationship with AS.
Also, if AA says "nah, we'd rather not have a competitor in the US admitted to OW even as a OW Connect airline" I suspect BA/CX/QF/AY aren't going to try and overrule them.
Last edited by eponymous_coward; Jun 8, 2018 at 1:32 pm
Jun 8, 2018, 3:26 pm
#17
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Pure conjecture on all of our parts at this point. BA/CX/QF/AY can't be happy about AA's rigid cornerstone strategy, putting connections from US flights to any non-AA hub at a disadvantage to *A or ST. Could they force Parker to either expand the network beyond hubs, or allow AS to play - at least as a "connect partner", in select cities.
Jun 8, 2018, 3:53 pm
#19
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And for that you expect the rest of OW to muscle up AA if they go "we'd rather be your sole OW partner in the USA and we're not too keen with you bleeding off passengers to someone who is NOT in antitrust-approved joint ventures with you"? I am skeptical. Remember, AA and BA are business partners, not just alliance partners. Generally you don't do things that drive a wedge between you and your business partner if they say "not cool", unless there's a lot of money in it. So where's the money in trading a good relationship with one of the US3 with a closer relationship with an airline 1/4 the size, that doesn't really serve a lot of very important markets as well as AA does?
Further, FJ is qualitatively different from AS; AA doesn't fly to Fiji. They sure fly to SFO/LAX/JFK/ORD/DFW though.
Yeah, that's basically where I am at. An AS membership where AA was handing out Flagship Lounge access to AS elites in Y on $400 LAX-HKG tickets (or AS miles on DFW-JFK) is a pretty bizarre 180 when AA could have just renewed the existing partnership (I seriously doubt AS would have said "no"). I could see AA being indifferent to other airlines sponsoring for OW connect status, maybe, since all it is for an AA/AS relationship if they don't sponsor is "you can board early and checkin in in the DYKWIA line at the airport. Otherwise no miles or bennies for you". But I don't think anyone is going to muscle AA in their own alliance. I doubt AA would sponsor AS, and if AA says "we're not cool with this", the rest of OW has to take it seriously.
Last edited by eponymous_coward; Jun 8, 2018 at 4:15 pm
Jun 15, 2018, 10:17 am
#20
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I don't see this as being an option. There's not much in it for a lot of the partners and there doesn't seem to be any of the major partnerships with more than one partner included.
The acquisition of Virgin was probably seen by the industry as an overture from Alaska towards becoming a major carrier. None of the big 3 want to be competing domestically with someone who is in their partner network.
The acquisition of Virgin was probably seen by the industry as an overture from Alaska towards becoming a major carrier. None of the big 3 want to be competing domestically with someone who is in their partner network.
Nov 27, 2018, 4:03 pm
#22
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Bumping this older thread because of new info.
Looks like the potential of AS joining OneWorld as a Connect member has surfaced again.
From Skift and OMAAT:
https://skift.com/2018/11/27/alaska-...orld-alliance/
https://onemileatatime.com/new-oneworld-member/
This would be an exciting development for me as the strongest pull to join switch to DL at this point is the lounge access and other priority treatment on TPAC flights which accounts for ~50% of my annual travel.
Looks like the potential of AS joining OneWorld as a Connect member has surfaced again.
From Skift and OMAAT:
https://skift.com/2018/11/27/alaska-...orld-alliance/
https://onemileatatime.com/new-oneworld-member/
Originally Posted by Andrew Harrison, CCO Alaska Airlines
There’s a Oneworld Connect membership that we’re looking it. The whole goal here is to ensure that when people in the cities we serve travel internationally they are on our partners so they stay in our program.
The benefit to Alaska Airlines with these global partners is when people start to think Alaska, they are starting to think global. They are starting to make their plans around flying on our global partners. We are looking at ways to get more seamless.
The benefit to Alaska Airlines with these global partners is when people start to think Alaska, they are starting to think global. They are starting to make their plans around flying on our global partners. We are looking at ways to get more seamless.
This would be an exciting development for me as the strongest pull to join switch to DL at this point is the lounge access and other priority treatment on TPAC flights which accounts for ~50% of my annual travel.
Last edited by PABE; Nov 27, 2018 at 4:37 pm Reason: bump for new info
Nov 27, 2018, 5:14 pm
#26
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Am I reading this correctly? The only reciprocal benefits are between the OW connect partner & sponsor OW airlines. Non-sponsor OW airlines OWE/OWS/OWR get check-in & boarding on the Connect partner but isn't reciprocal.
Aside from that, who would be the sponsors- AS has lounge agreements with QF & BA. Maybe JL, except they're tying up with HA.
Interesting change. Also says "some", so maybe not just QF? From personal self interest, I'd like to see AS work with their partners to allow better routings through the AS network to partner gateways on paid tickets. And reasonable fare classes on the AS portion.
Aside from that, who would be the sponsors- AS has lounge agreements with QF & BA. Maybe JL, except they're tying up with HA.
In addition to possibly joining the alliance as a ‘Connect’ member, Alaska soon plans to sell tickets for some of its global partner airline on its website, so a customer in Los Angeles might buy a Qantas fare on alaskaair.com. This should help customers better understand the two airlines have a close relationship, Harrison said.
Nov 27, 2018, 5:28 pm
#27
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Nov 27, 2018, 6:01 pm
#28
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JL as a sponsor would make a lot of sense. There's not much overlap between what HA is doing with JL and what AS does or could do with JL, and HA and AS are presumably both a lot more worried about Southwest than each other.
Nov 27, 2018, 6:05 pm
#29
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Nov 27, 2018, 6:42 pm
#30
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Exactly. AA says “we aren’t your sponsor”, you get no earn, no lounge benefits, no luggage allowance. Whoop-de-do. It would basically formalize the relationships with CX/QF/BA/JL/AY.