Is Etihad poised to join Star Alliance? [No]

[drron]

Some speculation from someone who usually is well informed-
Etihad May Actually Join The Star Alliance?!? - One Mile at a Time

Like I said, this caught me off guard, but I’ve heard this from two reliable sources. I can’t guarantee this is tomorrow’s announcement, but apparently it’s very close to being finalized. Of course for a deal of this scale there’s always the potential for things to fall through. And this does seem crazy — the fact that United approved this is perhaps the most surprising part, given that they have veto rights for new airlines joining the alliance. Then again, perhaps they’d rather that they’re partnering with Etihad, rather than American.

 

[Buzzard]

If so I hope the redemption's come back to what they were.

 

[docjames]

Would be a great result for EY and *A if it comes to pass.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

More F possibilities - gotta love that.

 

[boomy]

Booking appartments using LifeMiles is a dream!

 

[dajop]

This would be great. Wonder if they would drag VA with them (complicated now by Chinese ownership I guess, as well as of course the DL JSA)?

Interestingly, this would give the Etihad "stable" a leg in all three alliances .... EY in in star, AB in oneworld (if indeed AB doesn't go bankrupt, as perhaps is likely) and AZ in skyteam, with all three of course in the "Etihad Airways Partners" alliance.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Booking appartments using LifeMiles is a dream!

And shouldn't be any harder booking them with KF miles either should it?

 

[boomy]

And shouldn't be any harder booking them with KF miles either should it?

Guess not but I wouldn't "waste" them on anything but SQ F/R, especially when LM can be bought at 145%.

 

[bsb]

SQ and UA will be having a party (lol). Wonder how long till they leave

 

[Mattg]

A press conference is being held now. Doesn't look like Etihad will be joining Star Alliance. Instead, the announcement seems to be an extensive codesharing agreement between Etihad and Lufthansa. As well as codesharing on each others' flights, Etihad will move its FRA and MUC operations to the Lufthansa terminal.

 

[Pleb Status]

Mainly a catering and maintenance tie up. Some limited codeshares as well (as previously announced). A written press release would have done for this announcement.

Nothing else to see here....

 

[JessicaTam]

Oh well, back to our regular programming.

 

[moa999]

Wonder what it means for Air Berlin.
I had been expecting a merger between Eurowings and Air Berlin with both airlines holding stakes.

 

[docjames]

Well that was underwhelming.

 

[Buzzard]

I was getting excited there for a minute.

 

[dajop]

Wonder what it means for Air Berlin.
I had been expecting a merger between Eurowings and Air Berlin with both airlines holding stakes.

There has been an announcement previously that 38 Air Berlin aircraft will be wet leased by Eurowings (33) and Austrian (5). Doesn't seem to be any further announcements about Air Berlin at this time.

 

[megmcw]

A month ago I made two bookings for December. One using Virgin points, the other using Etihad points - both on the same Etihad flight.
We cannot book the return for another month and wanted to use our Virgin points to fly back with Etihad. At present we have the option of Singapore or Etihad for the return flight and wonder if Etihad joins Star Alliance what will happen to the Etihad option of flights with Virgin. Our bookings are very complicated going over, but easier coming back. I presume the booking going over made with Virgin points on an Etihad flight, would still be honoured. Sixteen years ago I lost 240,000 points when Ansett went down the tube. I do not want to be caught again.

 

[drron]

In the past award bookings have been honoured.A couple of folk I know had AN awards on UA and NZ homoured when AN went bust.
In this situation I doubt VA is going to go belly up.I also think it unlikely that they will discontinue their tie up with VA or any of the others they have a financial stake in even if they do join Star-and over at OMAAT they still think it is a possibility down the track.

I think the thing to worry about is Air Berlin going to survive.OW membership looks dicey if LH has to invest more to keep it going.ABs new CEO is an executive of LH.