Quick question - does anyone know if BA's JNB based subsidiary, Comair, is a member of oneWorld? Are they fully integrated into the system? (Meaning would they be available for booking under a RTW ticket?)

TIA!

Yes, you can use them for a OW RTW ticket. I have used them many, many times.

While they aren't a full member of OW they are an affiliate and you can book them as part of a Oneworld Explorer.

Presumably Comair is still safe, but who knows? BA is getting rid of BA Connect, BMed and GB Air (all or in part, details vary but some are sold, some are shut down, and some are losing 90% of routes in the next few months). So 2007 seems to be the year that BA axes the affiliates. Comair would seem to be safe for staying, but then some of the cuts in Europe were for routes with no alternatives on BA.

BA Connect and BMED have been sold, but GB Airways??? I haven't heard anything about that except unfounded rumors.

I'd be real surprised if Blands loses the BA affiliation with GB Airways.

Agreed, if anything, BA seems to be growing their relationship with GB.

Gibraltar has always been about politics, so this is the primary consideration. The story I've heard (3rd hand) is that BA wants to drop GB, cannot, and is instead changing terms and cutting routes to make it profitable for BA. I suppose for OWE purposes the only concern is GIB-LHR service, and that is not in danger.

But BA has really gutted regional UK service, even "flagship" non-London routes like MAN-TXL have been cut! JFK-MAN would be cut except for its political protection. The sad part is that BA is motivated by protecting a fortress hub at LHR; replacing point-to-point services by hubbing in LHR is a good way to soak up the LHR slots with UK domestic flights, and keep those pesky EU airlines from having a chance at starting long-haul flights out of LHR. Very blatant move by BA and a dis-service to their customers. If the fur flies (and it will), BA might dive for political cover by divesting all regional flights, in order to prove that it wasn't about LHR after all. And that could result in Comair being dumped in JNB just to show that BA is doing this as a strategy and nothing to do with LHR.

Thanks jerry a. laska and millionmiler. Answers appreciated.

I (very seriously) love your insightful posts.

The problem with that would be that BA really needs a regional partner in Southern Africa or it risks losing passengers to SA on the LON-SA route.