Continental Leaving Skyteam for Star Alliance!
#46
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,677
#47
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: ATL, CVG, DAY, DCA
Programs: Delta PM, SPG Gold
Posts: 244
I really don't care about CO leaving. I found DL to have a better international product, I don't get upgrades on CO, the 50% MQM on cheap tickets sucks, and DL/NW will cover most of CO's ground. Sure it is a great airline, but as a DL FF, it doesn't effect me too much.
#48
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,298
Continental is a Sly Fox to watch
Nobody is going to be paying cash to buy another airline. The question being asked by everyone is how much money do you have in the bank and it is never enough. Every airlines is loosing money and the only hope is the money will outlast the current high priced oil. Any airline mergers within the US will need to be stock swaps--not a cash buy out.
In its most simple terms, it is the pattern of receipts (accounts receivable, for example) versus expenditures (accounts payable), resulting in the availability or nonavailabilty of cash and other transferable financial assets, such as stock).
While Air Canada is seeking a buyer, WestJet does NOT have financial resources nor the strength of sufficient backers to make the purchase.
Neither does United.
Further, while Continental IS somewhat interested in several of Air Canada's lucrative trans-Canada routings, it has its eye fixed more on the INTERNATIONAL side of travel, (particularly trans-Pacific and European expansion) than anything domestic North American.
#49
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,298
#50
Join Date: Jul 2008
Programs: AAdvantage, CO OnePass, ANA Mileage Club, DL Skymiles, UA Mileage Plus
Posts: 23
CO to Star - Mixed Blessing
As a long time Continental/SkyTeam customer I have to say that I really have mixed feelings about this United plan. I am really going to miss Air France/KLM as a partner. On the other hand, the NW/DL merger really gave them no choice. Continental would really be the odd man out if they stayed. A merger/alliance with AA and Oneworld really wouldn't work either with such a stong network in Texas and competition in New York.
The thing about STAR is that who wants to fly United or US Airways? Not me! They both seem like another bankruptcy is inevitable. US Airways hasn't even intergrated the America West piolts into its senority system. Doesn't that sound smart??? Delta and Northwest both seemed cleaner and more stable then their STAR counterparts. Oh well, if anything Continental will benefit from being the best of the lot and get a huge boost from their EWR connections as they will be the only strong STAR player in the NYC market. Oneworld is really screwed since AA will still be the single player in the market. It is nice to be able to fly the route/schedule I want on mutliple carriers and still earn OnePass miles.
You should check out this article from USA Today that explains the advantage Continental will get by joining STAR.
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/colum...alliance_N.htm
The thing about STAR is that who wants to fly United or US Airways? Not me! They both seem like another bankruptcy is inevitable. US Airways hasn't even intergrated the America West piolts into its senority system. Doesn't that sound smart??? Delta and Northwest both seemed cleaner and more stable then their STAR counterparts. Oh well, if anything Continental will benefit from being the best of the lot and get a huge boost from their EWR connections as they will be the only strong STAR player in the NYC market. Oneworld is really screwed since AA will still be the single player in the market. It is nice to be able to fly the route/schedule I want on mutliple carriers and still earn OnePass miles.
You should check out this article from USA Today that explains the advantage Continental will get by joining STAR.
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/colum...alliance_N.htm
#51
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Hradec Kralove, Czech Rep.
Programs: OK Plus
Posts: 67
Should I risk and bank on the assumption that the CO will be still in Sky Team?
#52
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Silver, BA Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 9,779
Of course, the best TATL SkyTeam product (in coach) is an NW A330, so if that fit your needs, it might be worth a look.
#53
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: DL Platinum, Delta Reserve, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 191
I really don't care about CO leaving. I found DL to have a better international product, I don't get upgrades on CO, the 50% MQM on cheap tickets sucks, and DL/NW will cover most of CO's ground. Sure it is a great airline, but as a DL FF, it doesn't effect me too much.
I still fly Continental a lot to Houston and to other texas connections. I'm hoping Delta adds some flights from the West Coast to Houston as it is an important business flyer route. CO flies a dozen or so non stops daily between LAX and IAH and every one of them is full and the ticket is expensive. Flying through SLC or ATL isn't convienient and adds hours to your travel time, same willl be true with MEM.
#54
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Hradec Kralove, Czech Rep.
Programs: OK Plus
Posts: 67
Sounds interesting, thanks for the recommendation. I haven't flown a US-based airline accross the Atlantic since late 1990s so if I could find an itinerary with a intra-US segment served by NW DC9 I'd probably go for it... ^
#55
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Programs: HH Gold; AA AAdvantage Mbr; DL Skymiles Silver Medallion; World of Hyatt Mbr; NK Free Spirit Mbr
Posts: 2,531
Along those lines, a friend mentioned that the idea of a UA/US merger or tie-up was also being discussed again. Any truth to that? Why would UA tie up w/CO if they're entertaining any thought of absorbing US?
#56
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHF,ORF
Programs: AA Gold, MR Plat
Posts: 467
#57
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: BA/AA/AS/B6/WN/ UA/HH/MR and more like 'em but most felicitously & importantly MUCCI
Posts: 19,719
For me, it's fine -- my main interest is in premium-cabin Pacific awards, and ST is terrible on that front, while STAR is great.