Aer Lingus - SkyTeam?
 

Aer Lingus seem to be code sharing with KLM a lot on the Amsterdam - Dublin, Cork and Belfast routes, do you think maybe they could join SkyTeam as maybe an Associate member?

Sure hope they do!

Well, they used to be in oneworld, but left that in 2007 if I recall. Now they just codeshare a lot with various members of oneworld and SkyTeam and oh, United starting in November. These are mostly for feed routes to hubs; I doubt any alliance members would want to add someone to compete with them TATL or on other long-haul routes.

KLM doesn't codeshare on the Belfast route, at least it doesn't appear as an option on either the UK or the Irish KLM website. It's also worth noting that you can't book at KL coded flight from Ireland to Amsterdam unless you're making a connection.

I think what would be more likely would the EI-KL codeshare disappear and be replaced with either a service operated by CityJet or KLM Cityhopper once they get some reliable aircraft.

Unless AFKL is thinking of bidding for EI, but if they are then it's been kept a secret. How much of EI is owned by FR now?

Wikipedia says 29.4% owned by Ryanair and 25.4% owned by the Irish government.

How much of the Irish government is owned by Ryanair?

Highly unlikely, IMO. Aer Lingus doesn't seem to want to be part of an alliance at all, based on their behavior in the market and their product. I would not expect them to end up in SkyTeam, certainly not in the near future.

They remind me of Alaska Air who is in bed with everyone and likes it that way...

Or EK. Or VS. Or HA. There are plenty of carriers that are happy to have non-alliance partnerships with a broad collection of partners. It also lets them operate more or less on their own terms, without the oversight or requirements of the alliance rules.

Except that AS is a first class airline that provides a product comparable to CO, DL, NW, etc. (And IMHO better than AA) Aer Lingus? Well, you have to give them at least ETOPS but not much more.

AF codeshares with QF on SIN/HKG-Australia routes (and QF does remind one of this when onboard and at the departure gate) and of course MA operates KL's BUD flights but I don't think atny of them are going to leave OW for ST anytime soon.

As far as the back cabin goes, what's different about AS than the other U.S. airlines these days? I'm not sure if the front is anything to write home about either.