KDCAflyer

Might work with a 787. Wouldn't make sense for them to start a partnership with Alaska without a presence in SEA. They would obviously have access to feed from Alaska.

RealHJ

Not necessarily. AS has a good amount of flights also out of CA and YVR, where JL flies to. Not nearly as much as SEA, of course, but still a fair amount. So pax can easily fly SEA-YVR-TYO, or PDX-YVR-TYO, or LAX-YVR-TYO AS-JL, for example.

KDCAflyer

Why connect when nonstops are already available from those locations?

DLERT

Quote:

Originally Posted by WWads

Why connect when nonstops are already available from those locations?

Perfect answer why take penalty laps around the departure city wasting a
good couple of hours when you could easily be on your way on a NONSTOP !
And what about your checked baggage and another customs portal giving
ole Murphy another opportunity to strike.

RealHJ

May be because the pax wants to earn or redeem AS or JL miles? Or because the direct flight costs considerably more (as is very often the case).

So many countless reasons. Your thinking here is a bit silly. It only works if you are spending someone elses money and if the pax doesn't care about any FFP benefits (if their preferred program requires connecting vs. direct).

A good proportion of FT members often connect instead of fly direct!

KDCAflyer

I'm a DL elite in DC, so I know a lot about connecting. My point is that a partnership like this would require JAL flights out of Alaska's hubs. Period. That's what the DL and AS partnership was originally about, with DL using AS to feed an Asia hub at SEA. Now with DL trying to muscle out AS, they're looking to partners to fight back with. SEA-NRT might not work with a 777, but that's one of the benefits of a smaller ultra-long haul plane like the 787.

Fanjet

JAL cannot add flights to a U.S. city which is also served by ANA until 2018 IIRC (per the term of their bailout from a few years ago). However, AS can provide feed for JAL at SAN and LAX. Plus, once the VX acquisition is complete, they can provide much more feed on the SFO-HND flight.

KDCAflyer

Well that answers it. Thanks!

apodo77

Looks like there is at least a couple more years to the codeshare agreement:

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/n...nt-impact.html

“Our contract has a couple of years to run,” Bastian said, referring to the agreements with Alaska. “When we get to the end of the process, we’ll have an opportunity to re-evaluate.”

jrl767

just saw a new thread on the AS board ... yeah, probably not directly relevant to the "what date?" question here, but a head-scratcher anyway

StayingHomeIsBetter

The instant that anyone at AS says anything favorable about QR?

kop84

The answer is still very simple. The AS/DL agreement will end when one side figures they can make more money on their own. I would not be surprised if the agreement was extended when it comes up for renewal. EB is in charge now which might put a calmer face on the deal, and if it still does run another couple of years, it will give both DL and AS time to cool off and see where everything shakes out.

It could go where there is still limited codesharing on none overlap routes as even though AS has built an impressive network of international code-share partners, I can't imagine that many of them have the potential to make as much money as a closer DL/AS relationship does.

In the end I think both airlines crunch the numbers and realize that both bottom lines will be stronger with SOME relationship as opposed to no relationship.

itsaboutthejourney

And maybe they will realize that customers got the short end of the argument with loss of lounge access, priority boarding, etc.

kop84

^

I would agree. I think DL tried to push out AS and relegate them to a secondary carrier in SEA. But a funny thing happened where DL pushed out virtually everyone else. So now DL and AS BOTH find themselves profitable and able to coexist in SEA.

Again this isn't an overnight prediction but I could totally see a STRONGER DL/AS partnership when the contract comes up for renewal. I think it will be helped by EB being in charge now as it can be used as a fresh start.

AS buying VX I think will also help. AS is a stronger competitor now so DL might be more willing to compromise.

Also AS is going to be focused on incorporating VX for the next several years, especially considering they have to figure out what they're going to do with Airbus planes in VX livery. Much less the reservation system, airport systems, frequent flyer program, etc.

All in all I predict a truce called in the next few years and some partnership benefits coming back. There is too much to gain for both sides. AS has a huge domestic feed that DL could really use to supplement it's own schedule TPAC/TATL. And I think a lot more people would be more likely to book AS/DL going TPAC/TATL than are likely to go AS to the wide variety of Asian carrier partnerships they have now.

jrl767

true, but in all likelihood not a huge contributor to either company's bottom line ... which is what the partnership is all about