"star" In Co's Eyes?

[meatballpatcher]

**NOTE - THIS IS PURE SPECULATION ON MY PART - not based in any current anecdotal evidence!**
Just for the sake of discussion, what about this scenario. CO leaving SKYTEAM for the STAR alliance. I don't think CO is very pleased about the recent DAL/NWA bankruptcies, and the relative competative disadvantage it could put them in. CO and UAL always seem to be mentioned as merger partners, so how about it?
You would get all the competative advantages of the complementary route netoworks. CO would gain access more Pacific markets as well as LHR while UAL could find access into South America as well as CO's expanding European network. At this stage, I think that step is more plausible than a merger with all the messy aircraft as well as workforce integration that would follow. Especially if the rumblings about LCC discontinuing and/or dramtically changing their role in STAR. Given all that, I dont think it would take much for CO to seriously consider it. Your thoughts?

 

[JAMAKE1]

I think that CO would be a welcome addition to the Star Alliance Group. With Delta's strong ties to Air France and NWA's strong ties to KLM (and Air France and KLM now one), my perception has been that CO has been the odd man out. Star would gain a quality airline and would help shore up United's weak spots in its North American network, notably the NYC metropolitan market...as well as Latin America. Conversely, CO's weak spots in Asia (Guam is a secondary market) and the U.S. westcoast would be sewn up as well. I believe that Continental and United would complement each other nicely via a strong alliance rather than all the entanglements an outright merger would produce.

With regard to USAirways, I think there are some real quality of service issues with regard to the complexity of its PHL hub operation, not to mention the inferior quality of its inflight product.

A CO-UA combination in the form of alliance partners makes for a compelling discussion.

 

[flyhigh]

I don't think it could happen simple due to CO's contract with NW. If CO went into ch11, then maybe it could as CO could look to get out of the contract, but it's been good for them. Obviously it's been good for NW, so don't look for them to get out of it...

 

[Borescope]

What contract?? Do they have the same contract with DL?

 

[Breath_of_Fresh_USAirways]

I think that CO would be a welcome addition to the Star Alliance Group. With Delta's strong ties to Air France and NWA's strong ties to KLM (and Air France and KLM now one), my perception has been that CO has been the odd man out. Star would gain a quality airline and would help shore up United's weak spots in its North American network, notably the NYC metropolitan market...as well as Latin America. Conversely, CO's weak spots in Asia (Guam is a secondary market) and the U.S. westcoast would be sewn up as well. I believe that Continental and United would complement each other nicely via a strong alliance rather than all the entanglements an outright merger would produce.

With regard to USAirways, I think there are some real quality of service issues with regard to the complexity of its PHL hub operation, not to mention the inferior quality of its inflight product.

A CO-UA combination in the form of alliance partners makes for a compelling discussion.

Have you flown CO in coach, lately, across the pond? The service has severely declined in the past 2-3 years and they are no longer any better than any other U.S. airline -- including US Airways. Cheap, trashy food; charging $5 for wine; surly flight attendants. :down:

Not that all foreign carriers are any better either -- BA nearly scared me with their unrecognizable food :huh: -- not that the Brits have ever been famous for the cuisine anyways, but it was truly inedible this past June. And their flight attendants were down right nasty. Very unfriendly and haughty when asked for anything.

Every airline that flies trans-Atlantic (I don't have any trans-Pacific experience) is going to have to wise-up and realize that it's their coach class customers that keep 'em flying. Just my 2 cents...

 

[meatballpatcher]

Have you flown CO in coach, lately, across the pond? The service has severely declined in the past 2-3 years and they are no longer any better than any other U.S. airline -- including US Airways. Cheap, trashy food; charging $5 for wine; surly flight attendants. :down:

Not that all foreign carriers are any better either -- BA nearly scared me with their unrecognizable food :huh: -- not that the Brits have ever been famous for the cuisine anyways, but it was truly inedible this past June. And their flight attendants were down right nasty. Very unfriendly and haughty when asked for anything.

Every airline that flies trans-Atlantic (I don't have any trans-Pacific experience) is going to have to wise-up and realize that it's their coach class customers that keep 'em flying. Just my 2 cents...

Ok. so what again does that post have to do with exploring a possible move to STAR for CO? Looks to me mainly like an excuse to complain about airline service. Plenty of forums to discuss that issue rather than Hijack this one, thanks. :angry:

 

[avek00]

Every airline that flies trans-Atlantic (I don't have any trans-Pacific experience) is going to have to wise-up and realize that it's their coach class customers that keep 'em flying. Just my 2 cents...

...problem is, that's not the case - Trans-Atlantic revenues are driven largely by PREMIUM traffic and cargo. One full-fare BusinessFirst ticket to Europe (and yes, those still get sold even nowadays) can net as much revenue as TWENTY deep-discount Coach tickets. That's the reason why airlines continually pour millions into refining their premium cabins and peanuts into revamping Coach.

 

[FA Mikey]

They can also look at joining oneworld

 

[PHX-F/A]

Switching from Sky Team to Star Alliance sound/smells like an antitrust issue. I can't see the DOJ letting it happen.

 

[whlinder]

Why would there be an anit-trust issue? CO doesn't have immunity with anyone as it stands now.

 

[meatballpatcher]

Don't think oneworld would provide nearly as much synergy as a STAR/CO collaberation. Too much overlap/competetion in the AA/CO networks.
As far as this type of thing happening overnight, or with the airlines in their current configurations, that wasn't really the time frame I was thinking of. As DAL and NWA restructure in bankruptcy and Air France/KLM continues to evolve, its not hard to see CO left in the lurch so to speak. To me, it make sense as a strategic move for CO as the industry consolidates. They get to remain independant while forging closer ties with a very complimentary route network. Much as they did with their initial partnership with Northwest. There still would have to be a lot of water under that bridge however, before it became worth crossing.