NickW

Emphasis mine ... United Airlines - in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. US Airways - in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection (for the second time). Air Canada - in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Ansett Australia - bankrupt and liquidated. Air NZ - 80% government buyout to protect from bankruptcy.

Yeah, you really have to admire the record of solvency in the Star Alliance.

apoivre

Next time you want to sound like an old Russia/CIS hand, substitute Yakovlev for Ilyushin (as in "it will be superior to Tupolev or Ilyushin, etc"). SU doesn't fly a single scheduled route on a Yakovlev plane if my copy of their timetable is anything to go by.

SU mostly operates Airbus and Boeing aircraft on their European routes (with an odd Fokker thrown in for good measure on the morning run to VIE) and most people flying out of Moscow prefer their coach to that of their Western competitors for better amenities. Being based at MOW I still try not to fly SU (their ff programme is a joke). But let's be fair - apart from their serious image issues their are a) not worse than your average European airline on European routes b) the only half-decent option on intra-Russia/CIS routes c)no match to top quality Asian carriers on Asian routes

Andrius

I don't get your irony my friend. I never said SU currently flies Yakovlevs. They used to. I used this particular name to say that what they do now is far superior to the horror of the past.

Out of interest: Yak-40 are still used by some babyflots, I flew one most recently in December 2003 from KHV to VVO (operated by Vladavia) and it was a sheer horror, not least because it was minus 30 outside and the thing was not heated prior to boarding. Even An-24 Antonov is much better.

I agree completely: APART FROM IMAGE ISSUES, they are not inferior to average European airline quality.

Andrius

Yes, now that I think about it you're right.

I rubbed many ST fans the wrong way with my comments; I think I now know that it's just the matter of my distaste for AF which percolated to the whole ST

stimpy

Maybe we should separate the quality by classes. At least separate Economy from biz/first. For cheap economy, considering the miles earned, Star is the best followed by Skyteam, although individual airlines have somewhat different programs. OW shouldn't even be mentioned in this category as they suck for giving miles on cheap tickets.

For biz/first, OW has the great BA seats and decent service and the others follow...

graraps

BA's longhaul seats/service may be good but that clearly isn't enough for somebody wanting to fly from/to one of the many places OW doesn't cover sufficiently!
Edited to add: And remember that BA offers what probably is the least convenient hub in Europe; the overcrowded, zoo-like LHR and, for the few that can put up with LHR, has in store the LGW/LHR switch for extra enjoyment.

Andrius

How true. Those of us living next to LHR and using it as a departure point often forget how diabolical London can be as a hub (don't get me started on LGW-LHR transfer; Tokyo Narita to Haneda is an effortless bliss by comparison).

But then if LHR is bad for BA passengers, spare a thought for those reduced to using T2. Now this must have been designed by someone hating tall people. Don't you just love checking in for an early-morning LH or OS flight?

hfly

Ask anyone on the AF forum, I am no friend of AF, I hate the airline, but in terms of comparison they must be included.

stimpy

I don't get this? I'm tall and fly AF out of T2 often, but never early morning! The only thing I hate about T2 is the overcrowding and no decent food. But I usually just head for the AF lounge.

As for transiting LHR, I actually like it. When I used to fly BA monthly LAX-LHR-NCE I got used to the bus and quite enjoyed the shopping and the BA F or Concorde lounge. Later when they added the MB Spa it was great! I've transited LHR well over 100 times over the last several years and I've never had a significant problem other than one very long security queue during a holiday period. Now I know to avoid LHR when the holiday masses are coming or going. I only did the GTW-LHR transfer once and hired a taxi for that. It was expensive, but worth it to me.

I guess there is one thing I REALLY hate about LHR and that is how long it takes to drive there (with or without the M25/T5 construction), return my Avis car and take the bus to the terminal. It's about 5 times as long as doing the same at most other airports including LAX.

Andrius

I meant check-in area where the celings are so low you can reach them with a raised elbow.

osxanalyst

I'm glad to see this topic was not hijacked as so many others are.

YVR Cockroach

Chapter 11 doesn't apply to AC or within Canada. AC isn't a U.S. airline. It did file for CCAA reorganization (previously, the liquidating administrators would just have been called in).

paffendorf

i think EK will not join any alliance till the royalty highness will live. He said strongly EK wants ONLY bilateral codesharing, nothing else.

BTW, please Etihad is not a very good carrier....

paffendorf

I agree with you 100%.
i can easily see which is the advantage for ST, but i cannot understand which would be the benefit for EK in joining ST.
Please, some one tell me which is the profit:-)

paffendorf

ehm.... EK does not have ANY codesharing agreement with SQ, UA or DL.
Joining an alliance means to codesharing some of your own flights


EK codesharing agreements:
(for Asia & Africa) TG, PR, SAA, AI, JL AI
(for EU & US) UL TG BA CO

EK SQ have only FFP affiliation!!!! the same is with: DL UA BA (ending) CO SQ JL SAA.