moa999

Not posted earlier, but Kingfisher now one step closer
http://www.oneworld.com/ow/news/details?objectID=21977

Key points
- Indian regulatory OK granted
- Formal contract with oneworld signed
- No firm date for completion of joining
- oneworld airlines to use Kingfisher New Dehi lounge (opening next month)

Also noted that s7 on track to become a full member this year

EDit.
Also a 35min audio telecast on oneworld site.
Suggested timetable is about a year from today.
Some other questions on new joiners from journos.
Europe - Qn on Air Berlin. Not addressed directly but said they were talking to a number of Euro airlines
Africa - Said waiting to see how Africa develops but expect more routes and coordination from BA and IB
China - Disappointed in China Eastern. Not presently talking to Hainan
LHR 3rd runway - Disappointed in decision, expect MAD to become more of a hub

Aisle Seat H

Excellent ^ Looks like things progressing very smoothly thus far, so hopefully they will be joining sooner (12 to 18 months) rather than later (2 years to never !).

kebosabi

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...pointment.html

And time and time again OW makes the wrong decision in China. With such a big market like China, you don't sit out and wait until they grow, you grab as much as you can now when they're still young and groom them to grow to your standards. Otherwise they'll just end up joining a bigger alliance and brush off OW ("what good did OW did for me? I wanted to join them but they refused, now they're begging me to join? Ha! I say screw you to OW and slap them in the face by joining *A or ST)

Bring in Hainan now! It'll be easier to groom a child instead of changing the perspective of a full grown adult.

moondog

I'm pretty sure that the HNA Group owns 45% of CX's main competitors in HK.

moa999

Yes,
But Cathay (oneworld) has cross shareholdings with Air China (Star Alliance) (18% / 30%). Air China tried to buy a 24% stake in China Eastern (now skyteam) to block Singapore (Star Alliance) and also owns a 24% stake in Shenzhen Airlines (no alliance)

So the Chinese airlines and alliances are fairly screwed up.

Per above Hainan owns 45% of Hong Kong Airlines (HX)

moondog

Those situations are a bit different because CA + Citic are basically functioning as an extension of the government. Incidentally, I would not be surprised if the aforementioned parties secure a majority of CX shares at some point within the next 20 years.

The HNA Group, on the other hand, has ideas of its own, some of which entail competing with CX.

IC6A

China Eastern and China Southern are likely to merge to become the Delta+Northwest or AF/KLM in China in about 10 years time. By then Hainan will be the No. 3 rather than No. 4. Without a fully domestic carrier in China OneWorld can not brand themselves as serving China well. It is a mistake for OneWorld to have this piece of negative news published in the name of IATA. It is equivelent of suicidal. They are telling other that they gave up China market now. What is more worrying, they are telling the airlines wish to join OneWorld that to fxxx themselves away as they are not interested. Bad bad PR. It was bad already for AA CEO to state that any China mainland carriers have to be introduced by CX which already blocked HU due to its competition in HKG market.

Let us have a look whomelse is available in China:

Star: Air China which is connected to Shandong + Shenzhen
Sky Team: China Southern which is connected to Sichuan + Xiamen
China Eastern which is connected to Shanghai + CUA
Basically there is only HU family who has more than 30 planes in the map...OneWorld has no choice if they really want to have a domestic Chinese carrier.

toyotaboy95

Hopefully CA (quality still better than MU) will jump ship and join OW given the close ties with CX. *A will surely have no problem in attracting other Mainland airlines with their lax requirements.

Supersonic Swinger

It was amusing in the webcast to see the response to the question about a China partner, when the AA CEO said oneworld already had the best Chinese partner in CX. Because nothing is more efficient in getting from Beijing to Dalian than connecting in HKG...

Hainan would make a lot of sense but I get the sense CX doesn't like the idea.

pogonation

One of the areas which OW is really missing out on is the SEasia market. *A has TG and SQ. ST has VN and are looking at GA I think.
I think MH would fit perfectly into OW. I think it would do both the alliance and the airline a favour.

IC6A

CX tried to block CA from joining Star. In the first round they voted NO in that matter which cause then CA CEO Mr. Li furious and attack CX in varies media.

And later the shareeholder voted again there is no objections. Mr. Li successfully brought CA into Star under the umbralla of LH.

It is unlikely for CA to reverse their decision to join OneWorld. There is just neo possibilities. CA to join Star is one political tie as well as CA's ambition to become big three in Star together with LH and UA.

Speculators are betting that CA may eventually release Shenzhen Airline and sell stakes to CX so that CX can slike their way into China domestic market by Shenzhen Airline. But, here is the big but, would that be the deal all other stakeholders want to happen? Certainly not Hainan Airlines and China Southern.

If not Hainan, let us see what CX can do in terms of get into Domestic China market. But we shall not dream of CA to switch. It is just not what CA would do.

Island

http://atwonline.com/airline-finance...-alliance-0608

Hainan Airlines seeking to join alliance – Hainan Airlines plans to join a global alliance and will start talks with Star, SkyTeam and oneworld soon, a source from the Chinese carrier told ATWOnline on the sidelines of the IATA AGM in Berlin. "So far, we still haven't had formal talks with any airline alliance, but definitely we would [like to] select one suitable for us," the source said. It is widely speculated that Hainan will join oneworld, but oneworld Managing Partner John McCulloch noted at the AGM that the alliance is not in negotiations with Hainan and is considering its options in China. He also hinted that Cathay Pacific Airways could be Hainan's sponsor if the Haikou-based carrier reached a future membership agreement…. (Air Transport World)

brenc3

A wait-and-see approach for China sounds unfortunate. Oneworld needs to get their foot in the door, something they don't even have yet. The domestic market in China is still much more controlled by the government than in many countries, but years from now a lot could change in the industry. Carriers can merge, change position, and new ones can rise up. But I'm pretty sure that if they are not talking to anyone now, the likelihood that they will be a big player in China 10 years from now is less than it would be, even if they were only pursuing bit players in the market right now.

Or perhaps Oneworld has written off being a major player in China 10 years from now. That their strategy in so much of the world amounts to hand-wringing over their options is not encouraging.

Bukhara

ppppppppppppppppp

CubsFanJohn

IF OW was smart (Which they aren't) they'd be kissing HU's .... Regarding Gerard Arpey's CX comment what a friggin moron... Then again Gerard doesn't seem to be the brightest crayon in the box sometimes..... If I was him I'd be wining and dining HU to join OW with CX, OF and BA.