Air Berlin touted to be taken over by EY.

[drron]

AB in serious financial difficulties.Suggested EY may try to merge it with Alitalia and go to Skyteam-
Air Berlin to be delisted; Etihad to lift stake - report | Reuters

 

[cmon0005]

AB in serious financial difficulties.Suggested EY may try to merge it with Alitalia and go to Skyteam-

I have no problem with AB leaving OW, to me they were never a good fit for OW anyway, too LCC like so Skyteam can have them in my opinion!

Wonder if there is another European airline that could fill AB's void in OW if they left?

 

[zainman]

EY's unlimited pockets save the day!

 

[TomVexille]

I have no problem with AB leaving OW, to me they were never a good fit for OW anyway, too LCC like so Skyteam can have them in my opinion!

Wonder if there is another European airline that could fill AB's void in OW if they left?

I don't think there are many viable options left in central Europe

 

[samh004]

While it would be yet another setback for OW, from what I've read on here, they weren't really doing much for OW-status holders, and if you're not going to participate in an alliance, why join? Doesn't help they're in financial difficulties, but so are others... although QF might not be a prime example there, they still do offer priority checkin, lounge access, boarding, luggage even etc...

I don't think there are many viable options left in central Europe

Perhaps Qantas needs to create a European premium carrier (or JQ Europe) and use those JQ HK planes that are languishing on the tarmac. They could then feed their Australia traffic into their European "hub". Is that airport in Spain still on the market? You don't need other partners or other airlines at the same airport if it's just a massive transit point!

 

[zainman]

if you're not going to participate in an alliance, why join?

Shall be asking Lesley that question at the RockPool lunch.

 

[Timba-Jet]

I have no problem with AB leaving OW, to me they were never a good fit for OW anyway, too LCC like so Skyteam can have them in my opinion!

Wonder if there is another European airline that could fill AB's void in OW if they left?

Though AB's origin may be in the LCC mould, I would not put them
In the LCC now. From what I've read the service is better than IB and other so branded full service European carriers. If that's not enough then compare AB to airlines from the USA, give me AB anyday.

I do agree AB does not seem to very active in the OW family.

 

[samh004]

Shall be asking Lesley that question at the RockPool lunch.

We may be going a little off topic here... but Qantas does. I mean, look at AB and their gate lounges that they'd only let their members use, despite them being very lacking anyway. Qantas could remove the F and J lounge from OW I'm sure and cut a lot of costs.

The ability to game the FFP by flying cheaper partners on instant upgrade fares, or backwards and forwards between Taipei, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Columbo, or even using ASA's (though that's just for them) shouldn't equal loyalty to Qantas. In fact it shows a lot of disloyalty.

 

[drron]

We may be going a little off topic here... but Qantas does. I mean, look at AB and their gate lounges that they'd only let their members use, despite them being very lacking anyway. Qantas could remove the F and J lounge from OW I'm sure and cut a lot of costs.

The ability to game the FFP by flying cheaper partners on instant upgrade fares, or backwards and forwards between Taipei, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Columbo, or even using ASA's (though that's just for them) shouldn't equal loyalty to Qantas. In fact it shows a lot of disloyalty.

Simiarly flying in premium cabins on OW sponsored RTW or Circle fares and then have those those pax penalised because QF doesn't and never will fly enough places to enable pax to use them exclusively shows disloyalty by QF to OW.

 

[mannej]

We may be going a little off topic here... but Qantas does. I mean, look at AB and their gate lounges that they'd only let their members use, despite them being very lacking anyway. Qantas could remove the F and J lounge from OW I'm sure and cut a lot of costs.

The ability to game the FFP by flying cheaper partners on instant upgrade fares, or backwards and forwards between Taipei, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Columbo, or even using ASA's (though that's just for them) shouldn't equal loyalty to Qantas. In fact it shows a lot of disloyalty.

Qatar also has some issues with OW status integration it would seem.

Shall be asking Lesley that question at the RockPool lunch.

Has RR announced those attending yet?

 

[samh004]

Has RR announced those attending yet?

Competition closes on the 2nd at 1700.

 

[zainman]

Simiarly flying in premium cabins on OW sponsored RTW or Circle fares and then have those those pax penalised because QF doesn't and never will fly enough places to enable pax to use them exclusively shows disloyalty by QF to OW.

+1.

QF's latest changes are not in the spirit of participating in an alliance. First we had cough earning rates on MH, then QR and now ALL one world flights get SC slashed. That's worse than AB.

Has RR announced those attending yet?

Apologies mannej, I was merely being cheeky.

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

Just out of curiosity.... Who sponsored AB into The OW alliance?

 

[zainman]

Just out of curiosity.... Who sponsored AB into The OW alliance?

British Airways

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

British Airways

How interesting, as BA also sponsored Qatar into The OW alliance too.

 

[zainman]

How interesting, as BA also sponsored Qatar into The OW alliance too.

and a great addition to *O IMHO.

 

[deejo77]

Great i have them in my qff 140k reward RTW in Sept/oct - hope the wings stay on until my trip is completed!!!

 

[Isochronous]

I'm still saddened by the loss of Malev.

 

[dajop]

Well I guess there aren't really many non LCCs left on continental Europe that aren't already in one of the alliances. The only ones I can think of off the top of my head are in the Etihad stable through ownership ties (Etihad regional, formerly Darwin Airlines, and Air Serbia, formerly JAT) or so small as to be inconsequential (Luxair, Montenegro airlines, BH airlines, Ukraine International, etc).

 

[Mak404matt]

I mean, look at AB and their gate lounges that they'd only let their members use, despite them being very lacking anyway. Qantas could remove the F and J lounge from OW I'm sure and cut a lot of costs.

But VA elites can use the AB exclusive waiting areas