This atrociously-written statement appears on the Star website. Having read it several times I think I understand it...but not sure it makes any difference for Star Alliance frequent fliers.

So Tyrolean disappears, to become part of Austrian. But what is the difference between a "regional airline member" and any other member? Can anyone help?

If Tyrolean disappears, how come it is still listed as one of the 14 current members on Star's web page?

Exactly.

I understand the switch from Tyrolean to Austrian Arrows is really a cosmetic change...but since Tyrolean and Lauda were already part of the Austrian group I don't see how it would alter the membership status within *A. And how has Lauda's membership status changed? Or am I just being slow?

I think a branding decision has been made to stop marketing Tyrolean/Arrows as a separate carrier from Austrian. Hence it (should) disappear from Star Alliance as a separate member (though its flights will remain *A flights). With Lauda, the branding people seem to have decided to start marketing it as a purely leisure airline - my guess is that it, too will "disappear" from *A as a separate member, though their scheduled services will remain *A services (I would not be at all surprised to see Lauda, in the long term, end up as a Condor-style carrier, with the long haul schedule network being taken over by mainline Austrian aircraft and crew).

The basic problem for AUA is that they're trying to sell themselves as 3 different things, all offering the same level of "with frills" service. Combining them into a single brand seems eminently sensible (even if the *A press release doesn't!).

It seems that the main reason for keeping the three brands and three companies separate is that they each have different union agreements. Tyrolean/Lauda crew are paid less than Austrian crew. Some as with some U.S. carriers, the question is who can fly which planes and what services can be moved to the regional carrier. Austrian crews have recently been on strike to preserve their position. Negotiations are underway.

Once again, thank you to House for an excellent (and very clear) answer

Originally Tyrolean and Rheintalflug merged into one airline (~1 year ago) and it was planned to create a new brand name. Obviously the new brand name came now and this new brand name made it easier to announce also a new service concept: there will be no free beverage service in economy class on short (<1.5h ???) flights anymore on Austrian Arrows.

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