China Airlines may be blocked to join SkyTeam

[jiml1126]

The road to enter SkyTeam Alliance for China Airlines apparently has been blocked. According to the alliance information, it has publicly announced that China Southern Airlines, based in mainland China, will join the alliance within 12 to 18 months.

This is mostly due to political situation. It is unlikely for Skyteam both accept airlines from both sides (Taiwan and China) to enter the alliance.

Although China Airlines has cooperation with Delta and Alitalia, another heavy-weight carrier in the alliance, Korean Air, has shown its not-so-supportive attitude regarding CI's case.

[Jbrewster1012]

Do they really need 2 Chinese carriers? Oh wait, they are going to have 3 American carriers!

[CathayPacific]

That means that CI (and probably BR) will not be able to join any alliance!

While CZ looks set to join SkyTeam, CA (with extensive partnership with LH and UA) is obviously moving towards Star and MU (with partnership with AA, BA and CX) apparently going to oneworld.

[Asian Brushstroke]

Slightly off topic, but what else does CX do with MU apart from training staff and coordinating a number of TPE-HKG-PVG flights?

[DAL767-400ER]

China Airlines may be blocked to join SkyTeam

Gotta love the commies in Red China . Anyway, if the government actually allows their airlines to join an alliance, CZ would be better for Skyteam than CI, especially given the huge potential in China compared to the relatively small one in Taiwan. Plus, the new Baiyun airport is way better than Chiang-Kai-Chek in Taipei.

-Colin

[Asian Brushstroke]

Re: China Airlines may be blocked to join SkyTeam

CZ would be better for Skyteam than CI, especially given the huge potential in China compared to the relatively small one in Taiwan. Plus, the new Baiyun airport is way better than Chiang-Kai-Chek in Taipei.

Compare Taiwan's population of 23 million to Guangdong Province's 70 million (not including HK's 7 million and Macau's 1/2 a million).

[jiml1126]

Still, China Southern is still pretty weak on Trans-Pacific flight.

[CathayPacific]

TransPacific can rely on Korean Air.

Besides, one element that SkyTeam is particularly strong at is air cargo. Air France and Korean Air are the two largest air cargo carrier in the world and SkyTeam is different from the other two alliance in a sense that it is not merely a passenger airline alliance, but also a cargo airline alliance. Considering CZ has ordered 20 744Fs, it is a very good addition for the cargo side of SkyTeam.

As of co-operation between MU and CX, there are constant rumors about CX planning to acquire a minority stake of MU. Although this is routinely denied by CX, I won't be surprised to see it come true. Also, since CA is obviously going towards Star and CZ towards SkyTeam, MU has no choice but to join an alliance and also has no choice other than oneworld. And if an alliance has to choose between MU and CI, we all know which one would be chosen.

[jiml1126]

CZ did not order 20 744F, only 10. But the # of Cargo aircraft for CZ is still behind CI's 20.

Star is pretty successful in Asia because of its extensive coverage, giving customers more choices, unlike oneWorld and Skyteam.

Relying solely on KE is not enough.

TransPacific can rely on Korean Air.

Besides, one element that SkyTeam is particularly strong at is air cargo. Air France and Korean Air are the two largest air cargo carrier in the world and SkyTeam is different from the other two alliance in a sense that it is not merely a passenger airline alliance, but also a cargo airline alliance. Considering CZ has ordered 20 744Fs, it is a very good addition for the cargo side of SkyTeam.

As of co-operation between MU and CX, there are constant rumors about CX planning to acquire a minority stake of MU. Although this is routinely denied by CX, I won't be surprised to see it come true. Also, since CA is obviously going towards Star and CZ towards SkyTeam, MU has no choice but to join an alliance and also has no choice other than oneworld. And if an alliance has to choose between MU and CI, we all know which one would be chosen.

[CathayPacific]

Sorry, yea, it's 10 744F, not 20.

Although CZ's freighter fleet is still small compared to CI's, the cargo (and thus revenue) of the region are literally all coming from the Pearl River Delta. And CZ has the home site advantage on that. And with cargo pouring out from the area, it is only a matter of time that CZ would again significantly boost its freighter fleet. Also, CZ is the majority shareholder of China Postal Airlines (which is the one of only two domestic Chinese cargo air carrier, the other one is Yangtze River Express of Hainan Airlines Group). Admitting CZ will help SkyTeam to explore domestic Chinese air cargo market, in which no other alliance can do.

As of SkyTeam's Asia coverage, Malaysia Airlines has strong bonds with KLM and Northwest. MAS probably would end up with SkyTeam, covering S.E. Asia for it.

Of course it would be nice to have both CI and CZ in SkyTeam, but if reality is that only one of them can be in SkyTeam, CZ is the reasonable choice.

[DAL767-400ER]

China Airlines may be blocked to join SkyTeam

As of SkyTeam's Asia coverage, Malaysia Airlines has strong bonds with KLM and Northwest. MAS probably would end up with SkyTeam, covering S.E. Asia for it.

The executives at MAS said some time ago that they weren't planning on joinig an alliance in the foreseeable future, much like EK and VS, but should they change their mind, KUL would be a superb hub with lots of room to expand, perfectly joining Skyteam's expandable KE-hub at Incheon.

-Colin

[jiml1126]

MAS has no plan to join any alliance, and KLM is very dissapointed with the MAS alliance due to the connecting times to Australia/NZ via KUL.

The only KLM flight can connect with MAS is to Sydney, within 3 hours, others required 6+ hours.