AshleyB

Amazingly, in the many years since the creation of ST direction of same has not managed to secure a proper SE Asian member! I know VN will soon join, but really, in a region with SQ TG CX MH et al it is amazing that one can still not fly on a ST flight from SIN to HKG or BKK to HKG (other than the infrequent, inconvenient and difficult to book KQ). And Oz...? Has ST just given up on SE Asia altogether?

jbcarioca

What a good question. It has been asked many times in these fora, but not usually so clearly. I really wish they'd do something better and VN is not it! Of course after SQ nobody else seems to very attractive in SEA.

cityflyer369

They know about this problem and are working on it. If I remember it correctly, the next one to join will be Garuda. Airlines from Thailand and Cambodia might follow soon.
(I myself, however, cannot understand why it took them so long to really start working on this problem. Maybe AF and KE were too much afraid of competition within Skyteam. Another reason might be that there were not enough airlines around that match their criteria and are not already part of a different alliance.)

AshleyB

Garuda is an improving but still weak carrier with a fair if somewhat unreliable network ex Jakarta. In any case I don't think anything has been signed. Bangkok Airways is good but VERY limited. The only available and 'GOOD' SE Asian carrier up for grabs is MH and apparently AF refuses point blank to consider it. One might add China Airlines but that does not seem to go anywhere with Skyteam. I guess one must conclude that Oneworld and Star Alliance are the uncontested winners in the world's most dynamic air transport market. Skyteam is a big loser in this region.

Supersonic Swinger

Being based in the region, have to agree - although the rumours around VN, Garuda, Bangkok Airways and Virgin Blue would be good if they came to bear.

Does anyone know why?

AshleyB

Supposedly both AF and KL were terrified that MH would take all the traffic given MH's superior reputation and the fact that KLIA is a pleasant and under-used airport to transit on the way to other destinations in Asia and Aus/NZ. More likely is an unwillingness by MH to join what they perceive to be a weak alliance. Whatever the reason the pickings are now very slim for Skyteam in this crucial region.

CXBA

what a load of b*****s from AF/KL. MH longstanding relationship with KLM should have brought them in the alliance since the beginning, and ST needs desperately a carrier with a reputation of quality to counter an overall perception of a second-tier airlines alliance. It would be interesting to understand how AF/KL thought they would be able to woo first TG then more recently JL, while keeping out of the door MH.

STelite

MH also has FFP with AF/KL and Delta along with codeshare agreements with CZ, AZ, KE. Apparently they requested to join ST in 2006 but I guess it was taking too long and they launched th MOSAIC project which, to my understanding, is a series of codeshare agreements to help boost business. They end in 2012 so maybe they'll continue the process of joining ST then.

MacSid

From all that I have heard (and to be sure, it's all second- and third- hand information), AF have a relatively long-standing code share agreement with QF on Aus and NZ destinations via SIN, and that the contractual nuts and bolts are such that AF is doing very nicely on the $$$ seat shares / yields. Allowing MH into ST would all but oblige AF to walk away from the QF codeshare and those $$$. Expect to see no movements on this until the AF-QF codeshare agreements come up for renewal. Not sure when this is due, though.

MH and KL have indeed had a long-standing relationship and this stands to continue for the moment - there is certainly no issue of MH eating KL's pax loads as both operator's flights seem to be equally full at most times. What I have heard is that KL do want MH in ST but AF keep blocking it for no given reason (but see above).

As a Malaysian living in Amsterdam, I would dearly love to see this expanded upon with MH in Skyteam as it would then cover 99% of my business and leisure travel. Yet, I am not hopeful. The CEO who started turning MH around has been effectively re-deployed and a new CEO is in place and has been quoted as saying something along the lines of "we can go it alone" (will link to the article if I can find it again). Earlier comments in this thread about MH codesharing with *A airlines supports the apparent current strategy of going it alone and codesharing as it needs to only.

hexagon

Didn't they say China Airlines was going to join ST?

If CI joins, then you have routes in SE A. True that CI isn't the best in quality, but it's the main carrier of Taiwan for the last 50 years. Their cabins could be better ( a bit outdated, certainly in business), the uniforms look like pyjamas and the color is like it's been washed 500000000 times that's it's fading...

But nevertheless, travelling in SE A would be simpler

stimpy

It seems obvious to me that MH does not want to be in any alliance. OW would be very happy to have them too. SQ would probably vote to NOT have MH in Star Alliance though.

I think it is the owners of MH who are the ones preventing alliance membership.

Akiestar

I wish SkyTeam would consider PR.

soorox

I think SkyTeam should nurture VN and let it grow in SE Asia, before maybe adding the likes of GA, but MH would be a great addition. I think SkyTeam is waiting for VN to grow into furthur markets of SEA as VN leaves major gaps in it's own region leaving out Indonesia & Philippines, while it is more focused on NE Asia flying to all major ports in China (5), Sth Korea (2), Taiwan (2) & Japan (4). It needs CDK & MNL to some how forfill it's position as SkyTeam's prodominent SE Asian member, to connect with other partners.

VN is improving by;
- Adding more frequency on chunck SEA destinations like BKK, SIN & KUL
- Adding more frequency on OZ destinations; MEL & SYD to x5w
- Adding more frequency on European routes; CDG & FRA
- Code-Sharing with other ST members; KE, CZ, DL, AF, AL
- Adding new Destinations & routes from hubs
- Adding new planes to fleet & ordering (a380 )
- Building new mega hub for SkyTeam Airlines - Long Thanh Airport

Also: Has PR been considered by anyone yet? Whats the problem with asking? Why be snobbish and wait for them to invite? Don't wait until its too late! (MH fiasco)

UA Fan

there aren't many airlines in that region left over to join the whats leftover alliance.

topcat_dcx

What about one of the Middle-East airlines? How come they are 'independent' so far?