Rumors are out there that SAA will not renew their codeshares with Delta. Please do not read this as SAA looking to buy into an alliance--just that they are not happy with their current codeshare agreement.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm an amateur when it comes to airline strategy _and_ I think I've seen reference to impediments to JAL joining oneworld, but:

AA's beefing up service to NRT (JFK-NRT, a second DFW-NRT instead of DFW-KIX, next year's LAX-NRT, etc.) makes me wonder if they're planning to do more with JAL, if not welcoming JAL to oneworld. (Yeah, I know that they axed SEA-NRT, but that could have accompanied SEA's transition to a "seasonal" destination).

Any thoughts?

finally CA/MU have got the gov't's nodding on joining alliance.
the most likely scenario is they will each join *A/OW, but it is also likely that they both join OW, as they both are in good relationship with CX (MU is a partner of asiamile already).

(in such case CZ will join *A.)

however, the main obstacle for joining OW is the IT requirements and the related costs, it may take at aleast a couple years....

Interestingly enough, the buzz around JFK is that DL will be handling both EK and TAM's initiated service there in the near future... this was given further weight when EK signed a FFP deal with DL. Of course, EK whores out their FFP to just about anyone, but still! Also, since its loss of TransBrasil, DL has been searching for a S.American partner as well.... OneHeathroWorld needs to be careful! I sometimes wonder if Star's get-em-now-sort-it-out-later approach is best after all??


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Faire du ciel le plus bel endroit de la terre c'est impossible sans Concorde!
~ConcordeBoy