Does China Airlines want to join SkyTeam?
 

Associated Press
Taiwan's largest airline and Italy's flagship carrier sign code-sharing deal
Monday October 27, 2:20 am ET


TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) -- Taiwan's largest carrier, China Airlines, and Italy's flagship airline, Alitalia, can sell seats on each other's flights on the Taipei-Bangkok-Rome route under a code-sharing agreement the began Monday, the Taiwanese firm said.


The service will be offered on three weekly flights and might increase to four flights per week beginning Nov. 17 pending government approval, China Airlines said in a statement.

Code-sharing agreements are part of a trend toward greater cooperation among airlines in the last decade. The alliances allow airlines to reach more places without flying more planes and to offer reciprocal benefits.

"Through the cooperation, Alitalia can expand its network and enter the Taiwan market," the statement said. "At the same time, China Airlines can increase its traffic of European passengers to Taiwan and Southeast Asia."

China Airlines said that it would welcome additional Italian passengers by providing more Italian-language inflight announcements, magazines, movies and newspapers. It would also serve Italian food and wine as well as recruit Italian flight attendants.

The Taiwanese airline began flying to Rome twice a week in 1995. The service was increased to three weekly flights in 2002.

China Airlines said it has code-sharing agreements with America's Delta Airlines, Vietnam Airlines and Garuda Indonesia.

There's a good possibility....
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/.../20/2003076579

.....Thursday, Nov 20, 2003,
China Airlines Co said it may join the SkyTeam alliance, extending its passenger partnerships with Delta Air Lines Inc and Alitalia SpA, which are part of the six-member airline group.

Joining the group will allow China Airlines to share resources with partners and extend its reach into the European and North American markets, said Roger Han, spokesman of China Airlines. The carrier didn't say when it plans to join Skyteam, Han said...