US Airways set to join Star Alliance

[Greg]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030416/bs_afp/germany_us_air_company_030416120801

Lufthansa chairman said that the Star members will vote on US Airways addmittance. This has been rumore before but now it's membership is almost certain. I think this will be cool.

[v1images]

Aaaah finally I maybe able to see US Airways A330's with Star Alliance logo's! Maybe now BMI can go into a Cideshare deal with them for flights to PHL from MAN . Although im not too keen on seeing one of their A330's in the Star Alliance scheme!

Great news if they are taken in.

[jiml1126]

This has already been discussed!

[Greg]

But only as a probable. This is more conclusive.

[LH 340-600]

I don't think the Star Alliance colours are that bad. They look awfull on a B 747. But on a B 767 or a A 320 they are really great.

[Airigami]

I would like to hear people's ideas on this thought (and I have no particular opinion either way)...

Is this just another step in a the large-scale consolidation of the major carriers? Already we have seen American swallow TWA. Now, we see United and US Airways set to be in the same alliance (and there has recently been a lot of talk about a possible US-UA merger), plus Delta, Continental and Northwest are pursuing their own mega-codeshare alliance scenario. Could we be left with only, say, three 'majors' (excluding LCCs) in the next decade?

Similarly, elsewhere, there has been a lot of talk about big-time consolidation in Europe (Lufthansa maybe taking over SAS, talk of KLM merging one day with British Airways, however likely that might end up being). I believe it was the Air France chairman (?) who was quoted as saying he predicted only six major airline groups in Europe in the near- to mid-term future.

It maybe a little early to judge whether this is the beginning of a major (no pun intended) revolution in commercial aviation, but it is an interesting theory.

Thoughts?

[Greg]

But if there was a US-UA merger who be the dominant carrier this time? The bigger one or the better financially airline? I would love to see a 747 in US/UA livery. As long as the US name doesn't get lost in a merger its alright.

[Airigami]

Greg, in that scenario 12 months ago, I would have said, without a doubt, that were such a coming together to occur, it would be with UA swallowing up US entirely. Now, however, the future is less clear. Maybe a straight-up merger with entirely new brand or even a US takeover of UA!!!

Or even none of the above...

[Greg]

There is also that option. The colors would be neat but financially w/o a government subsidy (maybe even a takeover) a new line could not withstand all of the market factors involved in an airline that size. Or they could stay seperate. They do have that marketing agreement which probably is the reason UA wants US in the Star Alliance.

[B777-400]

Wasn't Air China going to join Star?

[LH 340-600]

Wasn't Air China going to join Star?

That's very likely to happen, too.
Then there Star will grow to 18 airlines or so.

-Air Canada
-Air Newzealand
-ANA
-Asiana
-Austrian Airlines
-Bmi
-Lauda
-Lufthansa
-Mexicana
-SAS
-Singapore Airlines
-Spainair
-Thai
-Tyrolean
-United
-Varig

[Noise]

Star Alliance is gonna be huge! How can OneWorld and Skyteam compete versus Star. OneWorld only has 8 airlines!

[LH 340-600]

YOu can't really cont Tyrolean, Austrain Airlines and Lauda as three different airlines. they belong together.
Varig, United and SAS aren't in good positions right now.

Star Alliance is the biggest alliance, but others can compete with them.

I've recently read an article about Gulfair. They want to join Star as well.

[YVR737]

should be very interesting now