Lauda Air -> STAR (?)
Sep 3, 1999 | 3:57 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: RIG / POA (Brasil)
Programs: TK E+ *A GOLD, TAM OW Sapphire
Posts: 330
Lauda Air -> STAR (?)
Hi FOlks ,...
Look at what I've just come across !
Cheers
Mauricio
(sorry for the long reading...)
-----------------
Business
Lauda Air mulls Star Alliance deal
LAUDA Air is considering joining a global airline alliance this month, with Niki Lauda -- founder and chairman of the Austria-based airline -- saying Star Alliance would be the carrier's first choice.
At a press conference here yesterday, Lauda revealed that his airline currently had three options. The first is to choose Star Alliance, because the global airline network's leader and co-founder, Lufthansa, also has a 20 per cent interest in Lauda Air.
The second option is to join Air France, which recently announced a plan to form a new global alliance. Finally, Lauda said he could join the Qualifier frequent-flyer alliance programme.
''Lauda Air and other airlines in the Austrian Airlines group agreed to make the decision by the end of September,'' he said.
In addition, Lauda Air will withdraw from Hong Kong from the end of October this year. Lauda said his carrier's Hong Kong service business had dropped sharply since the hand-over of the territory to China two years ago.
''Lauda Air will cut all of its flights from Vienna to Hong Kong, in order to concentrate on Bangkok and Phuket. The Hong Kong service could not make any money,'' he said.
The service use to be one of Lauda Air's best Asian revenue-producing routes, according to a statement from the airline. Lower tourism demand in Hong Kong is another reason for the airline's withdrawal.
Lauda added that the regional economic crisis had severely affected the company's overall Asian business.
For its Thai service, he said, Lauda Air would concentrate on Bangkok as its Asian hub. It will operate five flights per week from the end of this year.
Meanwhile, Lauda Air has just launched a new promotion for Thai business class passengers to destinations in three countries: Germany, Italy and Austria. Fares are being offered at Bt48,000, compared to more than Bt80,000 before the promotion.
Watanyu Sirichana, sales manager Thailand of Lauda Air, said the promotion had been launched following the upsurge in outbound Thai tourists since the beginning of the year.
The number of outbound Thai tourists grew 23 per cent during the first seven months of the year to 859,788, according to a report by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
BY CHOOSAK JIRASAKUNTHAI
The Nation
-----------
Look at what I've just come across !
Cheers
Mauricio
(sorry for the long reading...)
-----------------
Business
Lauda Air mulls Star Alliance deal
LAUDA Air is considering joining a global airline alliance this month, with Niki Lauda -- founder and chairman of the Austria-based airline -- saying Star Alliance would be the carrier's first choice.
At a press conference here yesterday, Lauda revealed that his airline currently had three options. The first is to choose Star Alliance, because the global airline network's leader and co-founder, Lufthansa, also has a 20 per cent interest in Lauda Air.
The second option is to join Air France, which recently announced a plan to form a new global alliance. Finally, Lauda said he could join the Qualifier frequent-flyer alliance programme.
''Lauda Air and other airlines in the Austrian Airlines group agreed to make the decision by the end of September,'' he said.
In addition, Lauda Air will withdraw from Hong Kong from the end of October this year. Lauda said his carrier's Hong Kong service business had dropped sharply since the hand-over of the territory to China two years ago.
''Lauda Air will cut all of its flights from Vienna to Hong Kong, in order to concentrate on Bangkok and Phuket. The Hong Kong service could not make any money,'' he said.
The service use to be one of Lauda Air's best Asian revenue-producing routes, according to a statement from the airline. Lower tourism demand in Hong Kong is another reason for the airline's withdrawal.
Lauda added that the regional economic crisis had severely affected the company's overall Asian business.
For its Thai service, he said, Lauda Air would concentrate on Bangkok as its Asian hub. It will operate five flights per week from the end of this year.
Meanwhile, Lauda Air has just launched a new promotion for Thai business class passengers to destinations in three countries: Germany, Italy and Austria. Fares are being offered at Bt48,000, compared to more than Bt80,000 before the promotion.
Watanyu Sirichana, sales manager Thailand of Lauda Air, said the promotion had been launched following the upsurge in outbound Thai tourists since the beginning of the year.
The number of outbound Thai tourists grew 23 per cent during the first seven months of the year to 859,788, according to a report by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
BY CHOOSAK JIRASAKUNTHAI
The Nation
-----------
Sep 3, 1999 | 9:56 am
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Half the World & More and then some.
Programs: BA, SQ, AA, QF, CX, VS
Posts: 1,202
Actually no. Lauda Air's fleet is small, and from its homebase in Vienna, Lufthansa doesn't have duplicate routes. Even for flights to and from Germany, Lauda Air codeshares most of the flights. Currently, Lauda Air only flies to 2 German cities from Vienna. Munich and Hamburg.
I just flew into AMS from VIE yesterday on OS (Austrian). Speaking to the F/A's, they have no idea which way either OS or NG would go. So it seems that us FTers know more than they do!
I just flew into AMS from VIE yesterday on OS (Austrian). Speaking to the F/A's, they have no idea which way either OS or NG would go. So it seems that us FTers know more than they do!
Sep 3, 1999 | 10:57 am
#4
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: YVR
Programs: ACSEMM QRGold SPGLifetimePlat FairmontPlat | TalkBoard Founding Member
Posts: 8,969
I guess what I mean is this:
I live in Southern Germany most of the time....closest airports are Munich and Stuttgart.
If I have to go to Sao Paulo for instance....I can go via Frankfurt, Paris, Zurich, Vienna....all different carriers.
This example would hold true for almost all my flights (98% of flights are not in europe except for connecting to a hub for an international flight).
Dorian
I live in Southern Germany most of the time....closest airports are Munich and Stuttgart.
If I have to go to Sao Paulo for instance....I can go via Frankfurt, Paris, Zurich, Vienna....all different carriers.
This example would hold true for almost all my flights (98% of flights are not in europe except for connecting to a hub for an international flight).
Dorian
Sep 6, 1999 | 3:57 pm
#5
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Detroit, MI
Posts: 2,689
Read something that NG is focused on a more leisure oriented traveler than either LH or OS--they have done very different fleet things than either, but concentrate on a more leisure orientation (i.e. holidays to BKK or Phuket or Miami)
Sep 6, 1999 | 4:15 pm
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Half the World & More and then some.
Programs: BA, SQ, AA, QF, CX, VS
Posts: 1,202
Lauda Air may be catering to the leisure traveller but their Business Class product called Amadeus Class is certainly hard to beat. The quantity and quality of food/service aboard their flights are unbeatable. I guess it pays to be a smaller airline.
Some time ago (2-3 years?) Lauda Air to Austrian was to what Virgin was to British Airways. Competitors. Austrian is with the Qualiflyer Group and Lauda had always been partners with Lufthansa. Then very suddenly one day, Austrian bought a share in LaudaAir. (Imagine BA doing that to Virgin). Everyone was shocked. Me included! It would have been better for Lauda to remain a competitor to Austrian. Still, maybe the alliances each company chooses in the next few weeks would determine their fate.
My wish : Austrian joins DL/AF. NG joins Qualiflyer. NG service is closer to Swissair than Austrian anyway.
[This message has been edited by Celestar340 (edited 09-06-1999).]
Some time ago (2-3 years?) Lauda Air to Austrian was to what Virgin was to British Airways. Competitors. Austrian is with the Qualiflyer Group and Lauda had always been partners with Lufthansa. Then very suddenly one day, Austrian bought a share in LaudaAir. (Imagine BA doing that to Virgin). Everyone was shocked. Me included! It would have been better for Lauda to remain a competitor to Austrian. Still, maybe the alliances each company chooses in the next few weeks would determine their fate.
My wish : Austrian joins DL/AF. NG joins Qualiflyer. NG service is closer to Swissair than Austrian anyway.
[This message has been edited by Celestar340 (edited 09-06-1999).]