Turkish Airlines Australian Services

[evanb]

For example was a time when UA would use QF, JQ or/and VA as tag on/feeder flights.
Really just a travel agent for AU domestic flights to get a sale on the long haul. Just business:- nothing to do with alliance or ff partners.

Interline or codeshare? It can make a big difference, but I don't recall UA codesharing with QF or JQ.

UA still have interline with QF and JQ. TK already have an interline with QF and JQ (but not VA). cough, even QR have an interline with QF and JQ.

 

[justinbrett]

Interline or codeshare? It can make a big difference, but I don't recall UA codesharing with QF or JQ.

UA still have interline with QF and JQ. TK already have an interline with QF and JQ (but not VA). cough, even QR have an interline with QF and JQ.

There’s a difference between interlining and selling the flights directly.

As far as I’m aware QR no longer sells any QF flights.

QF still sells UA flights directly last time I checked. It also sells HA. I’m not sure about DL, I haven’t seen that. It obviously sells AA & AS.

It’s not quite a codeshare but it’s a step above interlining.

 

[Harrison_133]

Discussions have apparently taken place between Turkish and Rex, as they explore options for a domestic partnership.

Turkish Airlines explores partnership with Rex

TK is putting together the pieces for its entry into Australia skies.

www.executivetraveller.com

 

[HS-TQE]

Per 'that site' they've already uploaded an article that TK and ZL are in negotiations for a partnership, so ZL are in the box seat over QF for that partnership.

As mentioned TK doesn't interline with VA and most likely considers VA's current partner QR as their direct rival. In addition, VA still interlines with their 'former bestie' EY.

 

[justinbrett]

I would say codesharing on Rex and continuing to interline on QF would tick all the boxes for TK.

That article included a quote from TK CEO referencing the existing deal with QF.

 

[evanb]

I would say codesharing on Rex and continuing to interline on QF would tick all the boxes for TK.

That article included a quote from TK CEO referencing the existing deal with QF.

For what it's worth, Rex have no existing codeshares. They've only recently managed to get the DL arrangement onto interline (there were some significantly delays).

 

[evanb]

There’s a difference between interlining and selling the flights directly.

As far as I’m aware QR no longer sells any QF flights.

QF still sells UA flights directly last time I checked. It also sells HA. I’m not sure about DL, I haven’t seen that. It obviously sells AA & AS.

It’s not quite a codeshare but it’s a step above interlining.

I'm not quire sure what you're referring to? As in QR won't sell you a QF interline on their website and/or ticket stock?

They certainly do, however there are routes where they favour a VA connection over a QF. I've just looked and they certainly offer QF interline connections via their own website and ticket stock, but they favour VA is there is a VA option. On routes where VA isn't available, they will sell QF.

Within the IATA framework you cannot interline with a carrier but block it from your ticket stock. You can certainly favour other options through your own distribution platforms, but you can't block it from being ticketing on your ticket stock. It'll be up to the distribution platform to do that.

 

[iamsuperandrew]

Discussions have apparently taken place between Turkish and Rex, as they explore options for a domestic partnership.

Turkish Airlines explores partnership with Rex

TK is putting together the pieces for its entry into Australia skies.

www.executivetraveller.com

This is great news for Rex.

Now all they need is the ability to redeem points with DL & TK and they will already have a decent network and some interest into their program

 

[HS-TQE]

Going slightly OT, REX could also aim for VN and/or TG as their South East Asian partners.

Back On-Topic, I think the timing of a potential future TK/ZL partnership could be in line with future PER flights out of MEL and/or SYD in Q4 2024 at the earliest (if not later).

 

[elanshin]

This is great news for Rex.

Now all they need is the ability to redeem points with DL & TK and they will already have a decent network and some interest into their program

I feel though without outside investment (maybe DL or TK will) , they would always be an extremely junior partner. I highly doubt we'll see any partnership in Rex's current form that would see them being able to see redemption.

 

[justinbrett]

I'm not quire sure what you're referring to? As in QR won't sell you a QF interline on their website and/or ticket stock?

They certainly do, however there are routes where they favour a VA connection over a QF. I've just looked and they certainly offer QF interline connections via their own website and ticket stock, but they favour VA is there is a VA option. On routes where VA isn't available, they will sell QF.

Within the IATA framework you cannot interline with a carrier but block it from your ticket stock. You can certainly favour other options through your own distribution platforms, but you can't block it from being ticketing on your ticket stock. It'll be up to the distribution platform to do that.

OK I thought QR stopped selling all QF flights but you’ve proved me wrong.

But plenty of interline partners won’t sell the flights on their own websites - you have to book with a third party if you want it. Ie QF and SQ are interline partners and I don’t believe either sells each others flights directly.

Point being, an interline agreement isn’t anything special.

Sidenote, VA must be a bit pissed QR are still selling QF flights.

 

[dajop]

. Ie QF and SQ are interline partners and I don’t believe either sells each others flights directly.

it takes some effort to find them (using multi sector tool) but QF does sell SQ flights.

But don’t think you’ll find QF flights on the SQ website.

 

[evanb]

OK I thought QR stopped selling all QF flights but you’ve proved me wrong.

But plenty of interline partners won’t sell the flights on their own websites - you have to book with a third party if you want it. Ie QF and SQ are interline partners and I don’t believe either sells each others flights directly.

Point being, an interline agreement isn’t anything special.

Sidenote, VA must be a bit pissed QR are still selling QF flights.

Why would VA be pissed? They don't have a JV - they cannot coordinate in any way. QR buy capacity on VA flights and then price that capacity however they wish. VA get the price that's been agreed. If QR don't price it the way VA would want, then they can go and change their price or get a JV.

Agreed, interlines are not special. They are the rule, rather than the exception. It simply allows two flights to be on the same ticket, and thus the connection being protected and baggage connected. It is not a partnership of any sorts. It simply means that the airlines have activated the mechanisms for the GDS systems to combine the flights and have agreed to stock standard terms under which IROPS are handled and money is settled through IATA. They don't control any capacity or pricing.

It does appear that people are seeing interlines more and more of a partnership these days, but I suspect that's because there have been some noticeable dust-ups (e.g., AA and DL cancelling their interline). At the same time, the public have greater access to seeing inventory and ticket combinations and have a greater appreciation for the options. In a previous era, only the travel agents saw and were limited by the lack of interoperability of GDSs. But they are not really a partnership since it doesn't involve any coordination, particularly of capacity and pricing.

 

[justinbrett]

Why would VA be pissed?

Are you new to petty airline politics? It’s everywhere.

 

[Tiki]

Being able to redeem VA on TK would be amazing!

 

[HS-TQE]

Being able to redeem VA on TK would be amazing!

Per the provided link, and the current discussions I'd think REX (ZL) is the leading candidate at this stage as TK's codeshare partner.

 

[evanb]

Are you new to petty airline politics? It’s everywhere.

Having spent my career in the business, I'm well aware of it. However, the petty politics at the senior level doesn't often spillover quite as much at the operational level where practicality generally overrides it.

For what it's worth, VA have interlines with 35 carriers (according to what my GDS is telling me). QF interline with 32 of those 35. This includes all those that VA codeshare with or what we would consider to be VA's "close partners". The only airlines VA have an exclusive interline with are FC, JD, and 3U.

 

[Tiki]

Per the provided link, and the current discussions I'd think REX (ZL) is the leading candidate at this stage as TK's codeshare partner.

Not so easy to get Rex points if your major source is Flybuys for VA and Woolies for QF.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Teaming up with Rex would be a win for passengers… if you’re connecting you really don’t want to be faced with hours of delays or cancellations. VA is currently running at double the cancellations of QF, and multiples of Rex.

 

[justinbrett]

Having spent my career in the business, I'm well aware of it. However, the petty politics at the senior level doesn't often spillover quite as much at the operational level where practicality generally overrides it.

For what it's worth, VA have interlines with 35 carriers (according to what my GDS is telling me). QF interline with 32 of those 35. This includes all those that VA codeshare with or what we would consider to be VA's "close partners". The only airlines VA have an exclusive interline with are FC, JD, and 3U.

But again, having an interline agreement is one thing, offering connecting flights on the rival airline through your own website is quite another.

I imagine QF would be pissed if AA sold connections on to VA flights (noting they don’t have an interline agreement, but let’s say they did)