*A has too many members that they can't work well together. It might as well be UA, LH and SQ while the other airlines do what they're told.

I agree

Considering AB joined today, OW now have more game in Germany and the rest of Europe! Anyone know if there is any form of link now between OW and EY?

What are the chances of CA joining oneworld? It does not seem that they are heavily in a partnership with any of the Star Alliance , and where they are they can be easily replaced. In fact their most extensive partnership is with CX and KA, both oneworld members.

- Replace NH with JL on Japan-China flights
- QF can replace MU with CA on Australian flights - Qantas can fly to Shanghai, and Air China for Beijing flights. QF and CA codeshared on the PEK-SYD route at one stage.
- Partner with AA on the US flights.

Whereas CX on the other hand, has a huge rival in * in SQ. Plus it codeshares heavily with AA even to South America, BA in inter-Europe, JL on flights to Japan amongst others.

I think we might see HU/HX join oneworld (providing a mini HKG base to star), and CA come to oneworld longer term. To me it seems logical, feel free to disagree.

AF/KLM is talking to AirBerlin about a "strategic partnership". So much for joining OW!

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-0...land-says.html

http://www.telegraaf.nl/dft/nieuws_d..._France__.html

"Airberlin has accepted the invitation of Air France KLM to talk about a strategic cooperation."

Not yet. EY and AA seem to expand exchange programs, sure hope this could evolve to EY joining OW.

Air China seems pretty happy in *, slowly growing into a bigger and bigger role in the alliance. The scenario you laid out does make sense should they defect, although the second point is kind of moot from air china's point of view (also I'm assuming you meant Hainan joins *A, not oneworld). Alot of this Air China/Cathay defecting talk depends heavily upon who is percieved to be calling the shots. I would put my money on the Chinese government as opposed to swire pacific. Also, I could see Cathay defecting to *A if oneworld was collapsing and Singapore airlines decided to leave. Cathay could codeshare with united/avianca/taca/copa for south america, ANA replaces JAL and lufthansa and friends provide a number of different bases in europe to work from.

I have a friend who has bounced around in executive positions in airlines around Asia for the past 20 years that routinely fills me in on head office gossip. I trust his opinions because his network includes decision makers at all of the airlines being discussed here.

Cutting to the chase, he recently told me that QF's recent attempt to partner with HNA really pissed off CX. In spite of the fact that his current employer is a member of one of the alliances that has solid intra-China connectivity, he fully respects CX's desire to be OW's link to China.

Separately, I've been working on a project with HNA for the past year, and have learned a lot about the company in the process. Those guys have a ton of money, and seem quite happy doing things their own way... almost cowboy style (e.g. buy a hotel in some far flung city, start flying there, and hope for the best). While kissing up to CX isn't beyond the realm of possibility, this idea doesn't gel with what I understand about their corporate culture; e.g. they are immensely proud of their new HKG-LHR flight.

Die?!? OW had TWO new members join it these past week or so, cos in addition to AB...

http://www.businesstraveller.com/new...s-affiliate-me

If you want to talk affiliate members, you can throw in NIKI as well.

Here's to a crazy idea, but since QF doesn't get on with CX, and now doesn't get on with MH either, perhaps QF should leave OW, and join ST. Virgin is somewhat aligned with *A, and with SQ obviously being in *A, that's not really an option.

But if QF does join ST, they would have instantly created a network in China, via MU in Shanghai, and to a lesser degree CZ which flies to major AU cities already. The link to Japan is lost, but with non-stop flights from eastern AU to the US, I don't see it as a big loss. However, they gain VN's network, and further collaboration in that area would also help with Jetstar's somewhat haphazard relationship in that country. And then, there's Garuda... but I can't see them being too happy about letting QF in.

QF also already codeshare with AF to France, and its frequent flyer program also earns points on AZ. But apart from this, the network does have a pretty big hole in Europe. Having said that though, given QF's recent strategic shift in focusing in Asia and regional flights rather than the ultra-long-haul segments to Europe, moving to ST actually sounds like a good strategic fit.

EDIT: Adding to the above, I've just been made aware that Jetstar Hong Kong is launching as a joint venture with MU. As silly and embarrassing it is for a OW founding member to defect, it does sound like it might just work out... (although I might not say the same after I recover from my red-eye flight).

Just read the same thing. Cathay can't be happy about this.

CX should just partner up with Virgin Australia to piss QF off.

Actually ex-Taiwan one can choose intra-AU add-on on either QF or DJ when buying a CX TKT. I believe that it would be the case for ex-HKG as well.

Yeah, THREE new then, and MH warming up before autumn entrance...

Did I hear EY???

EY joining OW would be AWESOME.