Thoughts on aer Lingus sale?
May 19, 2005 | 3:55 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: HKG/LHR/JFK
Programs: AA EXP, BAEC Bronze, DL Plat UA, HHonors Platinum, SPG Gold, Hyatt
Posts: 3,256
Thoughts on aer Lingus sale?
So, according to this, Gov't to sell portion of Aer Lingus, Ireland will sell a majority stake in Aer Lingus. Any thoughts on who will buy and whether this will impact their staying in oneWorld? Will they go fully the LCC path or is their still a market to compete with RyanAir as a non-LCC? (As an AAdvantage member, given AA's new SNN/DUB routes, I'd like to see them stay OW-I wonder about some connection with the newly merged SNBrussels/Virgin Express as a mid-price model that could then marry this all together under OW).
Hmmm...
Hmmm...
May 19, 2005 | 4:20 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Madrid, Spain & Santiago, Chile
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 3,181
I would like Aer Lingus to leave OW, but not because I have something negative to say about them, since I have never flown that airline. My reasoning is more along the lines that their departure would put some pressure on OW to add a stronger airline to the alliance, sooner. The question, of course, is which one, and on that I admit I'm clueless.
May 19, 2005 | 10:59 am
#3
Moderator, OneWorld
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SEA
Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP
Posts: 12,525
Oh I love debates on who should leave/join OW. Is this the right place?
Item: HP (the airline, not the sauce) and US are signing the prenup like now; the consummation is planned for sometime before my roses have gone to hips. They will do business under the US name and remain with Star Alliance. There goes (soonish I bet) all of BA's codeshares in the American southwest and Pacific region, where AA has decided to bail. My guess is that absent a replacement, BA's PHX and maybe even DEN flights will be harder to justify, since LAS will be harder to get to. AS would be the logical replacement but that's an argument that's been well argued. FWIW, AC is bankrolling the merger to some degree, so along with UA's good Pacific coast/western Canada access, the Star noose on the west coast is tightening. I cannot believe OW will let this huge market just slip away, but it seems to be.
Item: Even if EI stays, OW has crummy access to central Europe from N. America without stopping at some peripheral point - MAD, LON, HEL, etc. Is SN Brussels a viable member or is everyone still skittish about their long term viability? With Swiss out of the picture I have a hard time imagining who else could provide service to those destinations. Having ridden on Czech for the first time last month I would think about trying to lure them away from Skyteam - pretty classy outfit in an ocean of Star carriers. This might be easier to contemplate if Aeroflot joins Skyteam as expected.
Item: Eastern Europe/near east. What about Turkish? They really don't compete with any OW carriers on the vast bulk of their routes, have an existing partnership with AA, and seem to field a reasonably decent product. I can't imagine BA blackballing them. Granted, another peripheral Euro player, but maybe worth a look.
Far East: I don't know enough about the intracacies of Asian airline politics to know who could/should be thought about here. Obviously JAL comes to mind but they seem to be happy with the status quo.
Sorry if this is OT but it's fun.
Item: HP (the airline, not the sauce) and US are signing the prenup like now; the consummation is planned for sometime before my roses have gone to hips. They will do business under the US name and remain with Star Alliance. There goes (soonish I bet) all of BA's codeshares in the American southwest and Pacific region, where AA has decided to bail. My guess is that absent a replacement, BA's PHX and maybe even DEN flights will be harder to justify, since LAS will be harder to get to. AS would be the logical replacement but that's an argument that's been well argued. FWIW, AC is bankrolling the merger to some degree, so along with UA's good Pacific coast/western Canada access, the Star noose on the west coast is tightening. I cannot believe OW will let this huge market just slip away, but it seems to be.
Item: Even if EI stays, OW has crummy access to central Europe from N. America without stopping at some peripheral point - MAD, LON, HEL, etc. Is SN Brussels a viable member or is everyone still skittish about their long term viability? With Swiss out of the picture I have a hard time imagining who else could provide service to those destinations. Having ridden on Czech for the first time last month I would think about trying to lure them away from Skyteam - pretty classy outfit in an ocean of Star carriers. This might be easier to contemplate if Aeroflot joins Skyteam as expected.
Item: Eastern Europe/near east. What about Turkish? They really don't compete with any OW carriers on the vast bulk of their routes, have an existing partnership with AA, and seem to field a reasonably decent product. I can't imagine BA blackballing them. Granted, another peripheral Euro player, but maybe worth a look.
Far East: I don't know enough about the intracacies of Asian airline politics to know who could/should be thought about here. Obviously JAL comes to mind but they seem to be happy with the status quo.
Sorry if this is OT but it's fun.