Let me just say clearly and without bias, as both an American-based flyer and elite on both Delta (ST) and Continental (*A)...

Both alliances have amazing cover of the United States. Before the merger of UA and CO, Delta for a singular airline trumped all with the merger of DL and NW and today maintains unique coverage of small markets in the Midwest that NW covered as well as the Southeast that DL covered. UA/CO is strong with small markets in the West. US is a throwaway to be honest. I mean, it is the ugly sister no one wants without any real specialty and in looking at their domestic map, it has limited coverage versus both UA/CO, DL and AA.

For most flyers and Americans, you're flying from major market to major market--the most populous 100 metropolitan areas of the US are all within a 90 minute drive of an airport that is covered by both if not all three alliances.

So unless you're flying to International Falls, Minnesota (which is losing all coverage (Delta) soon because of a loss of FAA subsidies) you're fine. Stop the trolling. :mad:

And really, all Americans are desperately wanting to fly JetBlue in any case. :eek:

what did I say that generated such a defensive response from you? Why is the Skyteam forum generally so defensive and thin-skinned?

As I already said at least once, be wise and don't feed the troll.

Anyone read any updates?!?! Come on Skyteam!!! Pull your finger out and get an Indian carrier!!

This tells all. In which world does 3+ sectors qualifies as more expreience than 100's? :D

SkyTeam does need an Indian carrier. It's the only alliance without a nonstop to India. AI, IndiGo or Jet Airways, will be OK with me. * Guysprefer to get both Jet and IndiGo.

Are you talking about US-India nonstops? Why would this be a relevant criterion for the question of whether ST should have an Indian carrier on board? (Apart from the fact that such a nonstop might well be established once ST does have an Indian carrier.)

Why is "whether it's relevant or not", an issue? China, as well as India, among other emerging countries, are major aviation markets with much growth potential. So do you think Skyteam should do nothing to retain or attract travellers who want to fly nonstop to their destination? If so, it would unproductive for me to continue a dialogue with you on this topic. have nothing to add.

P.S. Just this morning, this is what I read on the front page of The Washington Post

I agree that it would be good for ST to have an Indian carrier. Also I agree that nonstops are important for attracting travellers. All I was trying to say is that the question of whether or not there are nonstops from the US to India is not highly relevant for the question of whether or not ST needs an Indian carrier.

There are non stops from the U.S. to India. Three of them. AA flies ORD-DEL nonstop, and CO flies EWR-DEL and EWR-BOM. AI flies nonstop too.
I did not want to an argument about relevance. I am not saying that Skyteam should not consider a carrier that does not provide a nonstop service

DL used to have a nonstop to BOM, JFK-BOM and then ATL-BOM. Shifing it to AT killed the flight. Well, nonstop service to major market IS relevant, especially if DL itself doesn't know how to profit from a nonstop to India, Bringing in a carrier that does offer the service and is backed with Govt money is a pretty good idea.

An airline with nonstop to India in the Skyteam makes it more attractive to those,

Someone flying from say, GPT to TRV, may have to make as many as 4 connections, GPT-MEM-DTW-AMS/CDG-DEL/BOM-TRV. Non stop reduces the number connections.
IT is VERY relevant. But please lets nnot make that an issue. It belongs in another thread.
US India market should be dominated by U.S. and Indian carriers, but it's not. European (LH, BA, KLM, AF, TK, OS) South East Asian(TG SQ, MH) and Middle Eastern (EK, Gulf , EY, and Qatar) all are taking advantage of the business. India and the U.S. agreed to open skies but every one else is eating our lunch. That's another reason why nonstops are helpful.

With nonstop from where? Because, for instance, 9W has nonstops to Italy, Belgium, several other EU countries I think, and flies to the US and Canada via Brussels.

Isn't it obvious we are talking about non-stops between the U.S. and India? Going by your example every airline as hundreds of non-stops.

Since this is a board with members from all over the world and you've been asked a couple of times by independent people, no, evidently it was not obvious.

Oh Boy. I have explicitly stated I am talking about U.S. India nonstops, The examples I gave were U.S to India nostops, as well as connecting flights. What elese do you need? :rolleyes: DO you not read before jumping in?

It's a global forum, but the membership comes predominantly from the U.S. One doesn't have to even infer from the context that I am obviously talking about U.S. India nonstops.
The question has been answered more than once.
It would help if you would read before posting.

Being a bit more courteous would also help. Unluckily, this is not a perfect world.

What I was pointing out is that you cannot say that skyteam is missing "a direct flight" to India. It is missing a direct flight between U.S. and India. Which is quite different.

Skyteam is not necessarily an extension of DL. At very least you need to consider DL and the AF/KL networks and bases in evaluating where it "misses a direct flight to".

Probably nothing but note this is the second MOU with Jet Airways and a Skyteam airline :eek: ......

http://www.4-traders.com/JET-AIRWAYS...tion-13837473/

Again probably nothing... but if you read further down the article, it talks about Jet Airways wanting to launch services to Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Shanghai. All are Skyteam hubs with the exception of Frankfurt. Maybe there are hopes Jet Airways will join Skyteam!!!

http://m.economictimes.com/PDAET/art...31,curpg-2.cms

I did not, ever, say anything about "direct" flights. I was talking about non-stop flights or maybe you do not understand the terminology.
I had already mentioned non-stop flights between the U.S. and India. I don't know why some people keep on asking the question(s) about "direct flight, or from where to where?"
Nothing I have said implies that SkyTeam is an extension of Delta.


It's important to understand the difference between nonstop flights and direct flights. The two are quite different. Most people avoid "direct" flights, and not every one does non-stop flights. It really gets tiring when people don't understand terminology, consider themselves experts if they have flown three sectors on an alliance, or feign offense, when none is meant.

My last post to this evidently useless quarrel:

Thanks for the useless lesson. Of course, direct or non-stop, in the context of my messages, changes absolutely nothing of the meaning (try swapping the two terms, and you will realize there's absolutely no difference to my meaning).

Regarding your - once again, rude - comment on "people having flown three sectors", please mind your own business. Or if you really wish to mind mine, have a look at the qualification rules for the tier I belong into, do a little bit of maths, and shut up.

It's pointless having a discourse of this nature.

Actually, it does make a difference in this context, as SkyTeam does have a direct flight from the US to India. DL56 operates EWR-AMS-BOM, and thus is a direct flight from the US to India with a stop in AMS.

Did someone say "context"? What happened to the context when question about origin of nonstop was repeatedly being asked despite my exp0licit mention of the origin too.
I suppose the confusion or ignorance of the difference between nonstop and direct flights lost the context.

Are you done? Or should this harassment continue for long?

Oh please! Harassment? If anything, I was the one being harassed, repeatedly being asked a question whose answer had been given explicitly and could be deduced from context. I pointed out that there is difference between "direct" and "non-stop" flights as it appeared from your posts that you did not know the difference.

I always appreciate it when someone tells me something I did not know. To each his own.

Hey guys, please give us (and you) a break. OK ?

-- Moderator hat on

Folks, please keep to our rules here: no comments on other members - regardless of who started an argument. Please just discuss about topics of travel, miles and points.

I'd also like you to please edit your posts containing remarks on other members. Otherwise I would have to do that.

And please keep our little forum here a friendly corner of flyertalk.

ralfkrippner,
skyteam moderator

I think that's mistaking baby's gas for a smile. ;)
There are 4 major entry points to Europe. London, Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt. Wanting to fly to these destinations is a business decision, not necessarily an indication of current or future alliance preference.