Delta buys 20% of LATAM, which will exit oneworld

[JohnM]

I believe QR was intending, like EK already does, to fly GRU-SCL-GRU. However, I think that evaporated.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

IIRC QR flies between EZE and GIG.

 

[jase05]

IIRC QR flies between EZE and GIG.

Think they fly between EZE and GRU

 

[dajop]

QR does EZE-GRU (as well as ET and TK) whilst EK does GIG-EZE 4x weekly and GIG-SCL 3x weekly. At the moment doesn’t appear to be any fifth freedoms from GRU-SCL. (FWIW AC and KL do fifth freedoms SCL-EZE)

 

[drron]

Will this be the end of Sky Team in South America?The Argentinians and Chileans haven't always been the best of buddies.
The Delta CEO has expressed feelings of no confidence in Sky Team
Will Aerolineas Argentina want to co-operate with Latam?

 

[docjames]

According to a series of tweets from “The Cranky Flier”:

Apparently immediately in Amadeus there is zero’d availability on AA’s LATAM codeshares and issues with connecting baggage. Ouch.

AA denying it was them, LATAM no comments as yet, DL “offering to help” (ie. PR win).

What a mess.

 

[drron]

I would point the finger at LATAM.


From jonNYC twitter account

 

[k_sheep]

Well, poop. This puts a spanner in the works of my current OWE 318k trip.

For others looking, out of SCL this will now leave only:
DFW and MIA with AA
LHR with BA
MAD with IB
SYD with QF.

 

[jase05]

Well, poop. This puts a spanner in the works of my current OWE 318k trip.

For others looking, out of SCL this will now leave only:
DFW and MIA with AA
LHR with BA
MAD with IB
SYD with QF.

BCN with IB aswell

 

[drron]

You can also get cheap fares to other South American cities to open up other possibilities.

 

[justinbrett]

Seems an odd decision when AA (largest US airline in South America), IB (Largest airline in Spain) and QF are all oneworld. It was the perfect fit for them.

I’m guessing they really needed the money.

In any case, both LA and QF need each other for connections on their Aus/SCL services so I imagine there shouldn’t be too much disruption.

 

[vetrade]

..............As a counterpoint to this bombshell, however, I am looking forward to seeing how much use I can make of Royal Air Maroc joining OW to alleviate the major OW hole that has existed forever in Africa.

I'm guessing the benefits will be minor. Access to their flights connecting Casablanca to Europe and Nth America etc will be applauded but, within the African continent, RAM really only flies to the central and western countries and not to South Africa, Tanzania etc. which are the places I think most people would want to connect to. Getting to JNB and CPT etc from the west will still rely on BA and IB.

 

[JohnM]

I'm guessing the benefits will be minor. Access to their flights connecting Casablanca to Europe and Nth America etc will be applauded but, within the African continent, RAM really only flies to the central and western countries and not to South Africa, Tanzania etc. which are the places I think most people would want to connect to. Getting to JNB and CPT etc from the west will still rely on BA and IB.

Agree - but it’s connections into W Africa that I’m looking forward to! I’ve done S and E Africa fairly extensively.

 

[Jacques Vert]

I'm guessing the benefits will be minor. Access to their flights connecting Casablanca to Europe and Nth America etc will be applauded but, within the African continent, RAM really only flies to the central and western countries and not to South Africa, Tanzania etc. which are the places I think most people would want to connect to. Getting to JNB and CPT etc from the west will still rely on BA and IB.

Why fly direct when you can connect?

 

[vetrade]

Why fly direct when you can connect?

Perhaps my post was a bit ambiguous - I was referring to the dearth of connections from Casablanca to eastern and southern Africa - RAM has good connections flying west from Casablanca but not near as good flying east

 

[Jacques Vert]

Sorry Mate; my comment was tongue in cheek.

 

[justin23]

I'm guessing the benefits will be minor. Access to their flights connecting Casablanca to Europe and Nth America etc will be applauded but, within the African continent, RAM really only flies to the central and western countries and not to South Africa, Tanzania etc. which are the places I think most people would want to connect to.

I'm intrigued by this also. Upset about Latam, although I've flown Avianca and Copa a bit in the past and they are fine, but not OW members. I guess my internal SA flights now will be done by my choice rather than LATAM as default!

As for Africa, I'm still glad QF has the EK deal. Flying to ADD via DXB in December is good. Also Qatar adds connections into Africa, albeit flying the long way around. Africa was always a bit light on for OW, but it wasn't as popular a destination that South America is and the whole that LATAM leaves behind.

 

[Jeff Hughes]

Wonder if this means LATAM will lift their game in regards to customer service response. Latam is notoriously bad at it

My experience, over the last 18mths is that the addition of Delta Airlines will only lower the customer experience further. Latam has certainly been lifting their game in a number of aspects. As an aside - the upgrading of both Santiago and Beunos Aires airports means that the airport experience is on par or better than the USA. When you add the TSA cough****ts, its a no brainer - South America beats USA hands down.

 

[jasyoung]

Just saw this in my inbox and had to take a deep breath. Many of my extended family here have family in South America and the ability to use rewards/RTW trips with QFF points has been great to get them over here. Now it looks like we will have to pay a staging flight to SCL and then connect to a Oneworld flight to Sydney. Via the USA for late 60/early70's passengers being in some cases, a 44-hour flight is too long. I like the sound of trying to get GOL or similar into Oneworld.

Really hate the idea of having to fly to South America via the US. Hopefully QF/Oneworld gets on the front foot with this and finds a way to plug the SOuth America hole.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

In reply to a few comments re Royal Air Maroc, I am looking forward to being able to use it in conjunction with Qatar and Royal Jordanian to open up destinations such as Cairo, Beirut, Istanbul, Lanarca and others which at the moment are dead ends and would require backtracking. As well as cities within Morocco of course. These will make RTW itineraries easier across those longtitudes, compensating a little for the gap within Europe left by the collapse of Air Berlin.