Is TK a second class *A citizen?
 

For starters, I cannot combine TK tockets with almost any other *A carrier. Obviously, LH is trying to mess up with them...but what exactly does that mean?

Can anybody give a list of TK disadvantages compared to other *A partners?

What are you trying to book? TK operates its own platform which doesn't necessarily speak well to other platforms.

In terms of LH, they don't like the competition so M&M members earn a much reduced level on TK services and TK members often earn nothing on LH. LH dislike the consequences of competition out of Germany by any airline particularly when on short haul a far better product is offered than their own - not difficult when you look at LH NEK. Equally TK were removed from the *A terminal at MUC just as it doubled in size as it was unable to cope with the capacity TK generates - two or three A321s a day but strangely it is able to cope with Etihad who LH are currently courting and their 789s!

TK are a great carrier and in all regards offer a better service than LH and there's the problem.

I never said TK is a bad carrier, but they are not LH level either. The way to tell is to see how they handle a situation when things go wrong.

Anyway, back to TK and *A. Few examples:
1. I tried booking a flight from TLV to Japan (one of the smaller cities, which required a leg with ANA). Could not find anything with TK (they could only get me as far as Tokyo), booked with LH and ANA.
2. My agent explicitly told me that combining TK and LH tickets is no go. What is interesting is that apparently it is not just LH (see above)
3. Whenever a flight is delayed and one of the *A carriers need to put me on a different flight, they are extremely reluctant to use TK

I may think of other examples, but I think this clearly shows TK is mistreated - not just by LH, but by many other *A members too.

*A is a big alliance.

within the alliance, there are some airlines that work well together (Joint Venture like LH+UA, LH+ANA, or just deeper partnerships)
https://www.lufthansagroup.com/en/co...-ventures.html

TK just doesnt have a deeper partnership with NH or LH (points 1 and 2).

overall, *A purpose is for marketing. you get your free bags, priority boarding, lounge access. *A doesnt mean that one *A carrier can issue tickets for another *A carrier

(3) may be due to technical issues (*A carriers may know its difficult to endorse ticket to TK for various reasons), even though according to *A guidelines they should look at baremetal airline, then *A, then other airliners during IRROPS)

Reference Guide - Airports Information - Irregular Operations Handling


eg: united and SQ are in *A, but they are known to be frenemies... you can only issue fullfare SQ tickets on UA

It seems in your example TK did not make arrangements to offer domestic connections in Japan with ANA (or JL for that matter). This has nothing to do with LH or *A. What a smart travel agent would have done is arrange the domestic flights for you using the ANA *A Japan airpass: https://www.ana.co.jp/en/sg/book-pla...l/airpass.html

In irreg situations airlines try to keep the pax with the same airline in order not to lose revenue. Although moving an irreg pax from one *A carrier to another is possible without endorsement (ie you don't have to ask for permission first), the problem with TK is that they use a different CRS and availability shown to most *A carriers (who use the Amadeus CITP) shows phantom inventory. So moving the passenger to TK may often cause problems because the flight is oversold even though it still shows as available.

Most airlines refuse their fares to be plated with other carriers, as well as add clauses to discount fares that they are not combinable with other fares and carriers, this has nothing to do with *A.

Thanks, but the site says:

• Sales of Star Alliance Japan Airpass ended on August 24, 2015.

On the original subject - I somehow thought that the alliances means more to member airlines than what it actually is.

Why do you use the term mis-treated?
Maybe TK doesn't play well with others?

Ah sorry, it has been replaced by this product: https://www.ana.co.jp/en/ch/promotio...experience_jp/

Alliances are invaluable to airlines, but complete sharing of everything is rather complicated... even if they wanted to the cartel authorities may have a word or two to say. ;)

Maybe. I have no idea - which is why I was asking.

Thanks! Do you know what happens with such a ticket if my inbound flight is delayed? Would be it treated in the same one as one ticket with a connection, i.e. will they put me on the next flight free of charge? I couldn't see anything on this on the web site.

Your travel agent should be able to combine the two tickets in one PNR so they are linked and both TK & NH will see where you are going/coming from. If the trip is disrupted the airlines can however refuse to accomodate you as its technically two separate contracts. In practice when irregs occur the airline will try to help you if its all in one reservation.

LH sucks
 

https://www.wheretocredit.com/lufthansa/p

Above is the accrual chart for LH's P fare (discounted business), and it's very illustrative for LH's stance towards that particular airline.

Why is LH in *A if they don't know what "alliance" means?

To take all the advantages without any of the commitments!

It's not only Lufthansa and Star Alliance who are doing this.
There is an example at SkyTeam as well, Air France discounted Business Class "O" fare does not earn miles on most other SkyTeam partners.

If you would like to fly Lufthansa Discounted Business Class, this means that you need to either pay the difference with "Z" fare bucket which is non that much in intra-European routes ( maybe about €100 on round-trips ) or decide not to get miles when using another *A FFP that does not give miles to LH "P" fare bucket.

Why should I pay more? LH's business seats are just ridiculous. I avoid LH anyway.