tommy777

SAS commences new code-share partnership with Croatia Airlines

Based on a new partnership, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) is able to offer its Scandinavian customers, from today, a flight product involving only one stop to and from Croatia. SAS and Croatia Airlines have entered into a code-share partnership on SAS's routes from Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen to Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, Amsterdam and Zurich, and connecting flights on Croatia Airlines' routes to Zagreb and Split.

Croatia Airlines is a regional Star Alliance member with its home base in Zagreb. The company flies to a large number of destinations in Europe, although not presently to Scandinavia. Croatia is a tourist destination that has experienced very high growth among Scandinavian travelers in recent years. In addition, homebound traffic is relatively extensive since many Croats live in Scandinavia.

"We believe that this partnership and the improved product will benefit travel to/from Scandinavia/Croatia since we are now expanding our offering and it will be simpler to combine SAS and Croatia Airlines departures," says Ulf Ingn�s Director Corporate Partners for the SAS Group.

SAS and Croatia Airlines already have a partnership based on their bonus programs. SAS Group Corporate Communications

http://wpy.observer.se/wpyfs/00/00/0...2F/wkr0001.pdf

SK_RSJ

Now if they could only set it up with Austrian from ARN as well. it sucks not being able to get Business Saver changeable between Austrian and SAS.
Also with LOT from ARN is requested! You hear!
Why have an alliance when you can�t swithch seemlessly between the airlines running the same route?

miikka

Because then passengers would switch seemlessly and SAS would lose passengers

You have to protect your "home" routes, inside alliance there is still some competition. In ideal world airlines inside an alliance would be merged and competition between them would cease but on reality it doesn't happen.

GetAA81Back2ARN

Again, can some remind me about what's so good with the code shares within *A...

You already earn EB points as they are a member - and you would not earn points if the airline was not a EB partner.

You don't get any extra EB benefits from booking a flight with SK prefix.

The price may be better, but most of the times it seems to be more valid for other partners flying on SK metal than the other way around.

GetAA81Back2ARN

Hmm. It is strange that SK has a codeshare with OS on ARN-VIE-ARN. For example OS311 is operated as SK9408 and OS313 is operated as SK9410 and OS318 is operated as SK9407. This can be seen on flightstats.com or viennaaiport.at!

But when looking for these flights on sas.se or amadeus.net or ExpertFlyer they don't show up. Wonder why?

Gnopps

I know that at least the feeder flights to Germany are cheaper to book with SK prefix. LH has a higher fuel surcharge (�20 per segment) than SK (nothing).

larsll

I want codeshare with LX on ZRH/GVA-NCE.

Code sharing in general is quite a funny business, and with a lot of gray areas. Mostly because in addition to code share you also have interlining (which means you can use airline As fares on airline Bs flights without code sharing).

Had once a SK ticket CPH-MUC-NCE in YDKRTY (the crooks don't allow you to buy SK S or B fares on this route if any segment is LH) and wanted to introduce a stop over in MUC. Problem was that the evening NCE-MUC is not code shared (all other flights of the day is) because you cannot connect onward with it (arrives too late in MUC). Still TA called SK and they said that it was ok to have an LH coded flight in there... ^

GetAA81Back2ARN

To partly answer my own question I now realise that they (SK/OS) have put "Traffic Restrictions" on the SK-coded flights operated by OS, which means you cannot book CPH-VIE alone on OS metal and SK-code, but you can book ARN-CPH-VIE with the second segment code-shared.

I seriously wonder why SK/OS has put this agreement into place. I doubt it would be due to anti-competitive laws. Code-shares on the routes would increase price competition. Or?

On the other hand, SK and LH has not imposed Traffic Restrictions on their flights but on SAS homepages only SK-operated flights can be booked wven though there is no restriction to book ARN-MUC on SK-ticket operated by LH.

So, sure, the code-shares are probably a good thing but make it more understandable for customers, please.

larsll

Makes sort of sense. Generally you can assume:

• That OS fares are not valid on SK flights without OS flight numbers.
• That SK fares are not valid on OS flights without SK flight numbers.

There is a principle to buy the ticket off the airline you fly, so on the direct flights you may buy it directly from OS. Not a problem.

But if you want to fly e.g. TRD-CPH-VIE you cannot find a fare cheaper than IATA Y to get you there. Which sort of won't sell a lot of tickets. Hence the limited code-sharing.

As for LH... SK and LH are cooperating a lot closer and they massively code-share as well as interline to allow all sorts of combinations.