News About SkyTeam
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
Programs: DL DM, Former AA EXP now AY Plat, AC 75K, NW Plat, Former CO Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 28,002
And what about other (non-DL) ST E+s in Y? I assume they don't get any lounge access on VS-metal, as that's non-SkyTeam, but what about the DL-metal flights out of T3? (The link mentioned earlier includes LHR as having a third party lounge which would be affected by DL's recent rule-change; and that can't be the SkyTeam lounge in T4, so presumably it means for DL flights out of T3...)
#32
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Programs: FB Platinum for Life
Posts: 1,019
Interview with Michael Wisbrun of SkyTeam
Interesting interview with Michael Wisbrun, Managing Director of SkyTeam: AirwaysNews High Flyer Interview: Michael Wisbrun of SkyTeam
Key points:
* Wisbrun also suggests that KQ is covering Africa adequately - and although I like KQ, personally I would like to see another SkyTeam carrier somewhere in West Africa. *A has SA, ET, MS and soon AT - so another SkyTeam carrier in Africa would not seem unreasonable, if they could find the right partner...
Key points:
- New SkyTeam lounges in Beijing, Hong Kong and Dubai planned for 2015 (as discussed in this thread: 3 new skyteam lounges planned for 2015)
- Recognition of two 'holes' in the SkyTeam network: Brazil and India*. Gol's partnerships with DL, AF/KL, etc are seen as partly addressing Brazil; 'no solution yet' for India.
- Mention of the 'SkyTeam transfer programme', that is trying to improve transfers between different SkyTeam airlines. In particular, this includes a 'major IT project' to ensure 'that any employee at an airport can change the itinerary in the system of our member airlines', to be achieved this year. (Given the importance of service recovery in the event of IRROPs, this sounds like a useful development - although it's also surprising that apparently no alliance has managed it so far! The 'SkyTransfer programme' has been mentioned earlier in this thread, but I have seen very little published information about it. It seems it is more of a behind-the-scenes initiative than, say, SkyPriority - but it would still be interesting to hear more details...)
- Plans for a 'multi-airline booking tool' that would apparently facilitate award redemptions on different SkyTeam carriers. (Again, this sounds like a useful improvement - given that, for example, FB currently allows online booking of rewards on only some, but not all, SkyTeam airlines).
* Wisbrun also suggests that KQ is covering Africa adequately - and although I like KQ, personally I would like to see another SkyTeam carrier somewhere in West Africa. *A has SA, ET, MS and soon AT - so another SkyTeam carrier in Africa would not seem unreasonable, if they could find the right partner...
#33
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Programs: FB Platinum for Life
Posts: 1,019
This article (Skyteam to launch alliance-wide online booking tool) has more on the last two bullet points above:
- An alliance-wide award booking tool means that 'by the end of this year', every SkyTeam FFP will have an online tool that enables award booking on other SkyTeam members, rather than having to phone a call-centre. Apparently, the tool is already in place for ten members (the article doesn't state which ten...)
- It also mentions SkyTransfer, allowing any member airline to access a passenger's PNR and make rebooking in the event of IRROPs.
#34
Moderator, Hilton Honors



Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,446
This article (Skyteam to launch alliance-wide online booking tool) has more on the last two bullet points above:
- An alliance-wide award booking tool means that 'by the end of this year', every SkyTeam FFP will have an online tool that enables award booking on other SkyTeam members, rather than having to phone a call-centre. Apparently, the tool is already in place for ten members (the article doesn't state which ten...)
- It also mentions SkyTransfer, allowing any member airline to access a passenger's PNR and make rebooking in the event of IRROPs.
#35
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Programs: FB Platinum for Life
Posts: 1,019
SkyTeam Awarded Airline Alliance of the Year by Air Transport News
Originally Posted by SkyTeam Awarded Airline Alliance of the Year
SkyTeam, the global airline alliance, has been announced Airline Alliance of the Year in the 2015 Air Transport News awards. The award comes in SkyTeams 15th anniversary year, as the alliance continues its rollout of customer-focused initiatives across its global network

