dinoscool3

EK and EY are bigger I believe, and they don't have to worry about anything political happening as it did to Oatar.

lhrpete

EY are not anything like the size of EK and have nothing like the reach. Their strategy of investing in airlines as a means of growth such as Air Berlin and Alitalia has not been a success so a re-think might be coming and I guess that could include a wish to join an establishe alliance.

LH have made positive noises to EY but maybe that was just to secure a good deal on Air Berlin as after all LH scuppered the QR move to join *A and they could do the same again. Living in the UK I would like to see EY in and they would provide a good choice to the LH group when traveling east - which of course is exactly what LH do not want.

I agree about the possibility of WY.

sbm12

EK is massive compared to EY and of the other GCC carriers, especially if you add in the flydubai bits that are integrating these days. It doesn't need nor want to join an alliance.

EY is collapsing nicely these days and isn't likely to be on anyone's list of an attractive partner to sign on with.

catocony

Isn't SQ against a Middle East carrier (especially Emirates) joining because of the intense competition on European travel to Australia?

lhrpete

Before Emirates grew SQ was the largest carrier between Europe - mostly UK and Australia. I suspect they still have quite a lot of the business because they still have first in class products.

The EK alliance with QF is interesting and it has probably benefited both giving EK unfettered access to any Australian destination and QF a reasonable alternative to routing everyone to LHR for journeys to anywhere in Europe. That said, QF are dropping DXB as their transit stop on QF1/2 and reverting to SIN while from the introduction of the northern summer timetable they are introducing a non-stop LHR-PER with same plane onwards connection to MEL so maybe things with EK are loosening a little.

Back to SQ, they alongside LH do not like the Gulf carriers but if it was EY or WY they would hardly be a threat to the more developed networks of SQ and LH.

kyanar

For East Coasters, MEL-PER-LHR is actually inferior to connecting in SIN/DXB. The flight is actually longer as it's 5 hours east to west coast, followed by the PER-LHR leg which is a pretty monstrous 17 or so hours if I recall what was quoted. I'd personally rather break it in two and get a bit of time in a lounge or something in between.

lhrpete

I totally agree, I certainly won't be using the 787 service as the LHR-PER sector is far too long for my liking and I don't either like the 787. My preferred transit point in SIN between LHR and Australia and I always want 4-5 hours on the ground.

ElJudioErrante

The QF non stop flight PER/LHR despite the initial fanfare and there reduced pax load QF can not fill .
..Not so popular

vbroucek

I prefer breaks under 2 hours... What's wrong with 787 in general?

pafnyc

Any update on this? seems they ended their partnership with AA but I don't see any updates on new partners or alliances (Forbes mentioned talks were underway).

ElJudioErrante

I guess breaking with AA, a major move for small GF is part of the long process to being part of *A.
Watch for more clues.BAH new terminal is being built at lightning speed and new planes and routes being added, so they're intent on expansion..and *A are noticeably lacking in the Gulf.

ual744777sta

This is the headline from the last Star Alliance press release dated June 4, 2018.

sbm12

I was at the press conference where that "shift" was announced. They were pretty clear that there are no new airlines poised to join in the very near future.

ElJudioErrante

It can take a few years to join an alliance, and GF are far from doing so, but that doesn't mean that GF doesn't aim to, nor does it mean that GF is not preparing to do so. They'll be soon I think some big tie ups between the major gulf carriers including possibly Saudia with the big US airlines in terms of codeshare and more feeder traffic from/into US domestic flights ,so right now it's jostling on both sides of pond.And when things settle, there'll be....IMO a gulf carrier in star alliance could be GF ..who knows ?

sbm12

Suadia is a SkyTeam member already. And just because GF wants in doesn't mean it will realize such.

I'm not saying it will never be in an alliance but right now expecting an ascension into *A would be misguided IMO.