Star Alliance

The Star Alliance, launched on May 14, 1997, is the largest and most awarded airline alliance in the world, with the following points of cooperation among its partner airlines:

• Frequent flyer program integration allows airline miles to be earned and redeemed on all members of the Alliance at the same level
• Premium customers of the alliance have access to all members' airport lounges.
• Flight schedules are coordinated to permit almost seamless travel which may include several different carriers within the alliance, on a single ticket
• Special fares for round-the-world and similar travel on alliance members offer discounts over booking individual itineraries
• Customer service processes are harmonized in an effort to promote a consistent experience
• Cooperation in development of a common information technology platform

This tight cooperation led to suspicions of anti-competitive behavior, and the alliance was investigated by the European Union as a virtual merger of its members. Indeed, some speculated that if government regulations were relaxed, the members would merge into a single corporation, although no evidence has yet materialized. Previous to Star Alliance, Northwest Airlines and KLM were operating together as the forerunners of the modern airline alliance system since 1993 - although there had been even earlier pairings and groupings of airlines for decades on a less formal level. The creation of the Star Alliance was a milestone in airline history due to its size and sparked the formation of rivals, notably SkyTeam and Oneworld.

Star Alliance now runs 16930 daily flights to 842 airports in 152 countries with South African Airways and Swiss International Air Lines having joined at the beginning of April 2006. The figure also includes the new US Airways, which reached a merger deal with America West in May 2005. Its market share is 28%, including US Airways-America West Airlines, based on the RPK (revenue passenger kilometers).

The alliance developed the "regional" concept in 2004, which helps the alliance to penetrate individual markets through regional carriers, which requires sponsorship from existing members.

Star Alliance was voted best airline alliance in the 2005 World Airline Awards for the second time in three years.

Membership History

Star Alliance livery seen in 2006

• 1997 — Founded by Air Canada, United Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines System and Thai Airways. Varig joins the alliance.
• 1999 — Ansett Australia, All Nippon Airways, and Air New Zealand become members.
• 2000 — Singapore Airlines, bmi (British Midland), Mexicana, and the Austrian Airlines group, comprising Austrian Airlines, Tyrolean Airways, and Lauda Air join the alliance.
• 2001 — Ansett Australia closed due to bankruptcy after a failed acquisition strategy by Air New Zealand from former joint owner News Corporation.
• 2003 — Asiana Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, and Spanair join.
• 2004 — US Airways joins the alliance. Mexicana's membership ends. Adria Airways, Croatia Airlines, Blue1 inaugurate the alliance's regional network.
• 2005 — TAP Portugal joins the alliance. Acquiring US Airways and merging under the US Airways moniker, America West Airlines joins.
• 2006 — Swiss International Air Lines and South African Airways join the alliance. Shanghai Airlines and Air China are invited to join the alliance.
• 2007- Air China and Shanghai Airlines are to join Star alliance.

Members

South African Airways aircraft with Star Alliance livery, seen in 2006

Starting in 2004, Star Alliance has divided its member airlines into full members and regional members, who must be sponsored by a full member.

Full members

• Air Canada+ [1]
• Air New Zealand [2]
• All Nippon Airways (ANA) [3]
• Asiana Airlines [4]
• Austrian Airlines [5]
• bmi [6]
• LOT Polish Airlines [7]
• Lufthansa+ [8]
• Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) + [9]
• Singapore Airlines [10]
• South African Airways [11]
• Spanair [12]
• Swiss International Air Lines [13]
• TAP Portugal [14]
• Thai Airways International+ [15]
• United Airlines+ [16]
• US Airways [17]
• Varig [18]

Note+: Indicates founding members of the Star Alliance.

Regional members

• Adria Airways [19] (sponsored by Lufthansa)
• Blue1 [20] (sponsored by SAS)
• Croatia Airlines [21] (sponsored by Lufthansa)

Former members

• Ansett Australia — collapsed in 2001
• Mexicana — left alliance in 2004 after deciding not to renew a codeshare alliance with United Airlines and opted to codeshare with Oneworld's American Airlines.

Future members

• Air China, currently partnered with ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, SAS, United Airlines, and Varig. Despite Oneworld's Cathay Pacific being its shareholder, the airline was officially invited to join the alliance on May 22, 2006, after an agreement with Lufthansa [22].
• Shanghai Airlines was invited to join Star Alliance on May 10th, 2006 [23].
• Turkish Airlines is expected to sign a pre-agreement with Star Alliance on December 9th, 2006. [24][25][26]

Potential members

• Egypt Air - according to the homepage of the Arab Air Carriers Organization AACO the airline is in early talks with Lufthansa in order to promote their application. 'Egypt Air aims to become a member within the next 24 months'.(8-MAR-06). [27]
• Air India is set to join the Star Alliance as well. A formal announcement on joining the Star Alliance is to be made in December 2006. [28]

News:

• On November 15, 2006, US Airways, a member of Star Alliance, offered to acquire Delta. If Delta were to accept the bid, it is unclear which alliance (Star or SkyTeam) the merged airline would remain in. [29]
• On November 6, 2006, TAP Portugal, a member of Star Alliance, TAP signed a contract with Espírito Santo International for the acquisition of 99.81 percent of the regional airline Portugália. If Portugala will join Star Alliance as a regional member or will be merged in to TAP is unclear. [30]

Premium Status

Star Alliance livery seen in 2003.

Star Alliance has two premium levels, Silver and Gold, based on a customer's tier status in a member carrier's frequent flyer program. Each of the member and regional airlines recognizes Star Silver/Gold status, with a few exceptions (mainly pertaining to airport lounge access). The statuses have no specific requirements of their own; membership is based solely on the frequent flyer programs of individual member airlines.

Star Alliance Silver

Star Alliance Silver status is awarded to customers who have reached the premium level of a member carrier's frequent flyer program.

Benefits of Star Alliance Silver membership:

• Priority Reservations Waitlisting
• Priority Airport Standby

Some carriers also offer the following to Silver members:

• Priority Boarding
• Priority Airport Check In
• Priority Baggage Handling
• Preferred Seating
• Additional Checked Luggage Allowance
• Airport Lounge Access

Membership tiers granting Star Alliance Silver:

• Air Canada (Aeroplan) - Prestige
• Air New Zealand (Airpoints) - Silver
• ANA (Mileage Club) - Bronze
• Asiana (Asiana Club) - Gold
• Adria/Austrian/Croatia Airlines/LOT/Lufthansa/SWISS (Miles & More) - Frequent Traveler
• bmi (Diamond Club) - Silver
• Blue1/SAS (EuroBonus) - Silver
• Singapore Airlines (KrisFlyer) - Silver
• South African Airways (Voyager) - Silver
• Spanair (Spanair Plus) - Silver
• TAP (Victoria) - Silver Winner
• Thai (Royal Orchid Plus) - Silver
• United (Mileage Plus) - Premier, Premier Associate
• US Airways (Dividend Miles) - Silver Preferred
• Varig (Smiles) - Silver

Star Alliance Gold

Benefits of Star Alliance Gold membership:

• Priority Reservations Waitlisting
• Priority Airport Standby
• Priority Boarding
• Priority Airport Check In
• Priority Baggage Handling
• Additional Checked Luggage Allowance
• Airport Lounge Access (Gold members of United States airlines only receive lounge access when traveling internationally)

Some airlines also offer the following to Gold members:

• Preferred Seating (Exit seat or even on a special section on the plane on some carriers which provide more leg room)
• Guaranteed Seating on Fully Booked Flight (Subject to the Booking Class Code and notice period)
• Complimentary Upgrade (In the form of voucher/certificate or automatic upgrade upon check in)

Membership tiers granting Star Alliance Gold:

• Air Canada (Aeroplan) - Super Elite, Elite
• Air New Zealand (Airpoints) - Gold Elite, Gold
• ANA (Mileage Club) - Diamond, Platinum, Super Flyers
• Asiana (Asiana Club) - Platinum, Diamond
• Adria/Austrian/Croatia Airlines/LOT/Lufthansa/SWISS (Miles & More) - HON Circle, Senator
• bmi (Diamond Club) - Gold
• Blue1/SAS (EuroBonus) - Pandion, Gold
• Singapore Airlines (KrisFlyer) - Solitaire PPS Club, PPS Club, Elite Gold
• South African Airways (Voyager) - Platinum, Gold
• Spanair (Spanair Plus) - Gold
• TAP (Victoria) - Gold Winner
• Thai (Royal Orchid Plus) - Gold
• United (Mileage Plus) - Premier Executive 1K, Premier Executive
• US Airways (Dividend Miles) - Chairman's Preferred, Platinum Preferred, Gold Preferred
• Varig (Smiles) - Diamond, Gold

Currently the lowest qualification criteria for a Star Alliance Gold status is 35,000 status miles earned during calendar year with Air Canada's Aeroplan program awarding a status valid for one year from March of the next year.

Alternatively 50,000 qualification miles during a calendar year in Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus program awards a status with two years of validity.

Destinations

Main article: Star Alliance destinations

External links

• Star Alliance - Official site
• Star Alliance Japan - Japanese Website
• Star Alliance Gold Lounges - Outline of Lounges welcoming Star Alliance Gold members [including exceptions] on the Star Alliance website
• Official Star Alliance Reciprocal Lounge Access Rules on the Star Alliance website
• [31] - Star Alliance with Shanghai Airlines Co. and Air China Corp. article
• Star Alliance Forum on Flyertalk
• Comparison Chart of Star Alliance Gold status's
• Photos of aircraft in Star Alliance livery

See Also

• Sky Team
• Oneworld

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