BA

What's your issue against MEA? Have you flown on them? They're small, but they're a good airline and a proper addition to SkyTeam considering their long-time partnership with Air France.

https://www.simpleflying.com/cedar-l...review-beirut/
https://www.onemileatatime.com/middl...usiness-class/
https://www.simpleflying.com/review-mea-a320-economy/
https://www.apex.aero/2019/09/09/ape...s-2020-winners

NOLAnwGOLD

Well certainly I personally think that ST could be doing more things actively (more ST lounges, for example) but wasn't sure how much behind the scenes aspects they were involved with. Doesn't seem like much and not sure why. I also wish there were more airlines particularly there are some areas that are hard to get to (NZ).

It does however drive me to book on ST airlines when possible, like CI instead of EVA when going to Taiwan or SE Asia.

I could see that it's hard to herd so many cats as the needs throughout the world with small and big airlines are potentially very different.

lokijuh

As a star alliance and oneworld flyer I dabbled in Skyteam once due to a lot of flying in Indonesia and China, and some in Vietnam + status match, and this was a big put off for me:
Obviously, myself and like travellers are completely irrelevant to DL, as not travelling on AF/KL/DL but the lounge lottery flying domestically was a turn off, compared to star alliance and oneworld where non-US airline elite get access to lounges flying domestically just about everywhere (and US airline elites get it everywhere but North America). It is what it is, so thanks, but no thanks from me to skyteam (contrast to the times I flew DL as a VA elite, which gives lounge access domestically within US).

flyerCO

All except DL give access, even on domestic flights. I've never had an issue on GA, VN, MU, CZ, AF, KL, OK, SU, etc... Only DL does enforces international only and even then UA and AA dont grant their own OWE/OWS lounge access domestically.

cmd320

I don't necessarily have an issue with them, it's just not an airline I would ever consider booking a flight on. The product is not very competitive at this point and there are just far superior options out there. When you look at the options on either side such as TK with Star Alliance or QR with oneworld, I'm sort of left wondering why I would ever fly with MEA.

findark

But I think that's Bastian's point. The original idea behind airline alliances was much more "pal"-like; that if you could fly LEX-ATL on DL and then AMS-VIE on KL, with ATL-AMS on either, then both carriers are winning by cooperating to offer LEX-VIE as a single itinerary with co-recognition of elite benefits, etc. It was a natural extension of codeshare and interline agreements. But when the "friendship" of alliances starts getting undercut with heavy competition on the same city pairs without a JV then I can see why a CEO would think the alliance "has failed".

xliioper

Obviously US domestically based flyers like me are completely irrelevant to UA/AA as they single them out and don't allow lounge access on domestic flights. Clear case of discrimination and huge slap in the face. Guess I will stay from UA/AA

SightseeMC

I mean, I can see where JVs are much more useful for a conglomerate than the alliances. After all - $$$. That said, I'd bet any frequent international traveler is using the alliance networks either by plan or default. And cutting it back to just JV partners would mean short term profits but long term headaches as constantly negotiating partnerships to cover the ever-more-traveling global population would become cumbersome.

xliioper

There's nothing in the interview that suggests DL will be "cutting back" to just JV partners or abandoning Skyteam. That's just typical misleading spin from Leff.

vincentharris

And in other news water is wet and fire is hot

vincentharris

I disagree and believe oneworld and star alliance are still fantastic at having great alliances. Sky team was always the last ditch alliance airlines joined when nobody else wanted them so I feel like there is no friendship on sky team as everybody has a “i only care about myself” attitude.

vincentharris

But you get access to that amazing KLM lounge in AMS...

findark

Should ask UA, SQ, and TG how well they get along... for a while (might still be true) SQ tickets would book onto B6 or VX (now AS?) metal instead of UA. Basically no cross-plating allowed.. SQ awards are largely blocked from Starnet.

Sure, UA gets along well with NH and the LH Group which does a great job of covering the world.. but that's because of the JV. That can be DL with KE and AFKL.

travelinmanS

The alliances still work for me as long as I get a shorter line to check in and somewhat preferred seating choices. This still seems to be the case with all 3. I have Priority Pass so lounge access doesn’t matter much to me. There are really only a few countries where Skyteam’s “domestic flight = no lounge” comes into play. In the USA you can access via Amex, in China they lounges suck anyway and in Indonesia it’s the same as China. I have no knowledge of the situation in Russia but I wouldn’t be surprised if lounges were very poor there. SGN-HAN or DAD is another Skyteam situation where you may lack lounge access but the advantage gained by having Skypriority at those airports is huge. China and Indonesia also have PP lounges at most major airports, although these are even worse than the airline lounges.

Delta is probably lamenting the fact that alliances aren’t what they were 15 years ago but things change. I didn’t have to pay 350k skymiles for a one way biz class award ticket 15 years ago either.

moondog

Delta was also not a very good airline 15 years ago, to the extent that it could be argued that ST --as mediocre as it is-- was keeping DL above water, rather than dragging it down.