Air India or Jet Airways, who will join Star Alliance?

[cnc]

Megaman, it seems like you don't know about IT then?

[Megaman]

just "thoughts in the air"

[sn26567]

In an interview published today by Reuters, Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal said his company is looking to operate a Rome-Mumbai flight in 2011 (in addition to Milan-Mumbai that will start on 5 Dec 2010), followed by destinations in France, Germany and the Netherlands in the coming years.

Except for Germany, these are all Skyteam destinations...!

[Conti764]

What actually keeps Star Alliance from formally inviting Jet Airways to join by, let's say, autumn 2011? This way AI, if they finally can get on track, keeps it so much needed first mover advantage and at least 9W has certainty which alliance they will join.

[BrightCedars]

The writing is on the wall! AI goes to *A, IT goes to OW, and 9W will eventually end up in ST. Done.

I wouldn't hold my breath to see the scissor hub stay in BRU a few years down the road, we'll be glad if the local traffic even warrants a direct flight or two and it may not be 9W's metal plying the route.

[fretn]

LATEST UPDATE

from here: http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/ ... annel=comm

As for India, Wijk says a lot depends on whether Air India finally ends up joining Star Alliance. Air India’s membership of Star Alliance has been delayed several times, partly because the state-owned Indian carrier has been pre-occupied with completing a merger with its state-owned sibling Indian Airlines. Air India has also encountered problems getting its information technology systems ready to be compatible with Star Alliance’s other member carriers.

Wijk says if Air India fails to join Star Alliance, there is a strong chance that privately-owned Indian carrier Jet Airways will try to join Star Alliance. But if Air India does end up joining Star Alliance, that helps pave the way for Jet to possibly become a member of SkyTeam, he says.

So *A is still their first choice!

[tolipanebas]

As from next summer season, 9W is going to serve CDG nonstop.
Simultaneously, they will also open new flights to Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo-Narita and Shangai.
Interestingly enough, these are all SKYTEAM hubs, so I think 9W has just made their choice, guys.

If so, its only a matter of time before they'll announce to be leaving BRU, most likely for MXP, which was announced earlier as a new destination too.

[RoMax]

CDG was on their radar for a long time already, but it was blocked by India because Air India is also active on the route.

But indeed all Skyteam hubs. But it was already known for a long time that the chance that they will go to Skyteam is very very big.
BTW, the past days (don't know when it will end) the yearly board meeting of Star Alliance took place in Queenstown, New Zealand. A final descision about Jet Airways (let them join or not) should be made in the past days or will come in the comming few days. As they vote on new memberships, evaluate the future joining members (so also Air India)... Maybe Jet Airways got an awnser from Star Alliance by now. Or is it just coincidence that they announce new routes to Skyteam hubs, just at the time of the yearly board meeting of Star Alliance?

[cnc]

As from next summer season, 9W is going to serve CDG nonstop.
Simultaneously, they will also open new flights to Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo-Narita and Shangai.
Interestingly enough, these are all SKYTEAM hubs, so I think 9W has just made their choice, guys.

If so, its only a matter of time before they'll announce to be leaving BRU, most likely for MXP, which was announced earlier as a new destination too.

imo its rather normal 9W start those flights even if they will not join skyteam.
besides NRT is both hub for DL (NW) and NH, TPE has BR that could be a possible future partner etc.
If SN would start flights to JFK and ATL it wouldn't mean they plan to join skyteam

[RoMax]

Well you are correct, NRT: ANA (9W has already a codeshare with ANA on flights to NRT), ICN: Asiana, PVG: Air China. And these are just very interesting destinations for an Indian airline in expansion. And CDG was already on the radar years ago, so was MXP. So if you look at these destinations like that, you can't make anything out of it.
But still, I think the chance is very big that 9W will join Skyteam.

BTW, 9W said something more about more European routes the comming years: CDG (Skyteam), FCO (Skyteam), Spain (MAD; OW, BCN; *A), Germany (*A), AMS (Skyteam), they even said something about Switserland (*A).
So actaully not very clear based on alliances. As this are just all big, interesting markets for an Indian airline.

[Atlantis]

As from next summer season, 9W is going to serve CDG nonstop.
Simultaneously, they will also open new flights to Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo-Narita and Shangai.
Interestingly enough, these are all SKYTEAM hubs, so I think 9W has just made their choice, guys.

If so, its only a matter of time before they'll announce to be leaving BRU, most likely for MXP, which was announced earlier as a new destination too.

Jet was looking for expantion in Europe years before they were thinking joining an alliance.
Besides, Oneworld is also growing and growing at BRU.

[Conti764]

As from next summer season, 9W is going to serve CDG nonstop.
Simultaneously, they will also open new flights to Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo-Narita and Shangai.
Interestingly enough, these are all SKYTEAM hubs, so I think 9W has just made their choice, guys.

If so, its only a matter of time before they'll announce to be leaving BRU, most likely for MXP, which was announced earlier as a new destination too.

Jet was looking for expantion in Europe years before they were thinking joining an alliance.
Besides, Oneworld is also growing and growing at BRU.

Oneworld might be growing at BRU, but Star Alliance should be the logical choice for BRU management to fully support, since Oneworld will never put BRU on the map as a hub or even a focus city without a major user of the airport being in their alliance. Sure, they have some presence but it is either with European airlines connecting BRU to their own hub(s) (BA, IB, Finnair, Tarom,...) and some international airlines which have a history on BRU (AA) or operating monopoly markets (RJ,...)

And still I believe the best (or the most logical choice) for SN would have been Oneworld. SN could be of much bigger value to small Oneworld i.s.o. Alliancezilla Star Alliance. The same matters for BRU since BRU would play a much bigger role as the most centrally located hub in Europe for Oneworld whereas Star Alliance already has too much hubs in close distance to eachother.

But LH acted faster then BA/AA and got SN into their basket. Now BRU is probably going to lose a big and prestigeous carrier because SN is in the same alliance as the one that invited an Indian lame duck years ago...

One small advantage if 9W would leave, may be that now the airport doesn't have to invest into the Western expansion of the A-pier for at least a few years. If 9W leaves the airport, six widebody stands at BRU come available again and SN seems to be pretty happy with its T-gates. Even if (and that's a huge if) some of Star Alliances biggest players would come to BRU (SQ, TG, NH, ... ) they would not need to expand.

[RoMax]

But LH acted faster then BA/AA and got SN into their basket. Now BRU is probably going to lose a big and prestigeous carrier because SN is in the same alliance as the one that invited an Indian lame duck years ago...

This story is a bit more complicated. The Indian government offered LH very much advantages to the Indian market if they would care of Air India joining Star Alliance. If India wasn't such an important market for LH, Air India may have never been invited by Star Alliance.

BTW, about SN's alliance choice. Before LH, Oneworld was the logicall choice. And yes they may have been more important as a OW member as a Star member. But LH as a group is more powerfull than BA. So you have to ask yourself what is the best: being part of a big powerfull group and a less important member of an alliance or being part of a less powerfull group with more presence in the alliance. I think the influence and most of all the money(!) of LH is more important.

[tolipanebas]

Oneworld might have been the better alliance indeed, but SN would have been a stand alone airline in it, and how on earth were they supposed to raise the hundreds of millions needed for fleet renewal as well as expansion then?

By going LH and subsequently joining STAR in a record pace, they become part of (one of) the biggest airlines in Europe, able to fund a complete fleet renewal needed in afew years and fully committed to expanding our long haul network far more than SN would ever be able to achieve as a stand alone, regardless the alliance.

[DeltaWiskey]

In think we can agree that the future of SN is brighter in the hands of LH (as a 100% daughter) than as a partner in 1W, and in the long term daughter/sister of IAG(?). LH Group is a way more healthy (financially) than IAG, so can help SN better financially (fleet renewal, expansion, ...).

The 'battle' in Africa will be held between *A en ST, with very small role for 1W.

[SabenaForever]

Article: Jet Airways to expand aggressively on long haul, and what will become of BRU hub!

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-n ... u-hub.html

I quote: Some insiders at Jet are stating that the carrier is likely to close down the BRU hub, and instead start flying nonstop to North America. The ever reducing India - BRU connections of Jet and the rumoured pull out of the Chennai - BRU route might prove proof to this.

Weird, can someone tell me 'the ever reducing BRU-India connections'? Bangelore is the only one, the far as i know

greetz Christophe

[Established02]

On a side note, today I noticed that Jet Airways has closed its large ticket desk at the center of the departure terminal (left to the passport control to Terminal B) and has opened up a smaller ticket desk to the far right. Also some other airline ticket desks seem to get repositioned. It looks like Etihad is building something large in the corner (street side).

[lufti]

"It looks like Etihad is building something large in the corner (street side)."

That something large that is being build in the corner will be probably Qatar airways new desk.

[Atlantis]

Article: Jet Airways to expand aggressively on long haul, and what will become of BRU hub!

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-n ... u-hub.html

I quote: Some insiders at Jet are stating that the carrier is likely to close down the BRU hub, and instead start flying nonstop to North America. The ever reducing India - BRU connections of Jet and the rumoured pull out of the Chennai - BRU route might prove proof to this.

Weird, can someone tell me 'the ever reducing BRU-India connections'? Bangelore is the only one, the far as i know

greetz Christophe

There was/is indeed a rumour that Jet will stop flying Chennai - Brussels. Don't know the reason.

[RoMax]

Non-stop India-North America flights by Jet will come, with AI having non stop flights, they can't stay behind. But the question is when and if the rumours are correct, it could be even faster than I expected. Of course non stop transatlantic flights mean the end of the hub in BRU. Just as it ment the end of the hub in FRA and the focus city LHR for Air India. If jet would join Star Alliance, routes like Mumbai and Delhi could be maintained, but the transatlantic flights and some secondary Indian routes become unneeded. If Jet Airways joins Skyteam, well than BRU may end without any Jet Airways flight.
However Jet still needs a suitable aircraft for non-stop flights to the US or Canada and as mentionned in the article, the Indian government can block them from non-stop flights, to protect Air India.