Delta buys 20% of LATAM, which will exit oneworld

[justinbrett]

Yes, that lounge isn't bad ... for a Nth American lounge. But for me, a great lounge does not a great airport make. For me its about the core function of getting me on and off an aircraft in as best condition as possible. And my last 3 experiences there have been pretty bad.

It’s better than SYD Intl J lounge. And let’s not even bring up MEL Intl J.

I don’t know objectively what your problem is with MIA. It has a good train connecting gates, modern concourse with good shopping and dining, multiple AA lounges - as a “North American” (your words) airport, I think it’s definitely above average.

 

[drron]

It depends how long ago you went through MIA especially if you connected from an International flight to domestic.The Immigration proceedures were way worse than LAX.Anyone who said they were running out of time for a connection were ignored.
But since the automated machines it is way better and our last trip through was no problem at all.

 

[Mattg]

It has now been confirmed that LATAM will leave Oneworld on 1 October, 2020.

 

[juddles]

It has now been confirmed that LATAM will leave Oneworld on 1 October, 2020.

Am still trying to come to terms with this

Just pondering and reminiscing.....

Have been flying LATAM since the 1980's when they were LAN Chile. They had many strengths, but also weaknesses. I speak spanish, so the staff were always very good. But I understand that non-spanish speaking pax sometimes got less-than-stellar service. In recent years I really went off them. Their international product is still solid, but their short seats in J on their 787's made them a miserable choice for me. And internally, domestically, within Chile, which I also fly, they have become essentially a LCC. Not my cup of tea. From an airline that always had quality soft product, I just could not stand the reality when, even as a top elite member of their ff program, there was no domestic lounge even in Santiago.

Their international lounge in Santiago is mainly great. Good spaces, sleep areas, fantastic wines (always a happy point with LATAM), but the food was mediocre.

I believe in LATAM as a company - they have made almost a perfect record of business decisions. They have risen from a national government airline to a private entity that has swallowed up almost all competition in south america. A key point of their success has been from perfect use of freight - and how to balance this with pax carriage. I am certain that they will remain the top south american airline for many decades to come.

I hope they retain some sort of alliance with Qantas. As per Emirates, there is room for non-alliance partnerships. If they don't, maybe that will be good for Qantas too - LATAM pioneered the MEL-SCL route. Anyone who knows south america would also know that from the SA end, Melbourne is almost as important a destination as Sydney. So maybe Qantas will try to compete here. And if they did, I know they will do well on that - south americans fly LATAM only when they cannot fly Qantas

But for me personally, this is the final straw for someone who is mainly One World focussed. I still have some status and a gazzillion points with LATAM, but once I burn those, I will be freed. Domestic travel within Chile is cheap. And Avianca offer a comparable (or better for me who is part Colombian) experience moving around that continent.

See ya later LATAM!

 

[Mattg]

LATAM will remain a partner of Qantas, but you'll lose all the Oneworld benefits after October next year. This means no status credits, no Oneworld status benefits (e.g. lounge access) on Y tickets and it won't be possible to use LATAM in a Oneworld Award or Oneworld Explorer RTW ticket.

 

[juddles]

LATAM will remain a partner of Qantas, but you'll lose all the Oneworld benefits after October next year. This means no status credits, no Oneworld status benefits (e.g. lounge access) on Y tickets and it won't be possible to use LATAM in a Oneworld Award or Oneworld Explorer RTW ticket.

Are you saying that Qantas status will have no sway with Latam? So their ongoing partnership will not be like the one with Emirates?

 

[Mattg]

Are you saying that Qantas status will have no sway with Latam? So their ongoing partnership will not be like the one with Emirates?

I assume it will be the same as their partnerships with other non-Oneworld airlines excluding Emirates and China Eastern (which are closer Joint Venture partners). In other words, you'll still get lounge access and status credits etc. if you're on a QF codeshare. But if you're on an LA flight number, you'll just get some points presumably.

...Which is fine if you're flying from Australia to somewhere in South America that a codeshare is available to. But Qantas doesn't even codeshare on LA's flights to Buenos Aires!

Qantas has provided some info about this on its website - LATAM | Airline Partners | Qantas Frequent Flyer

 

[juddles]

I assume it will be the same as their partnerships with other non-Oneworld airlines ...

OK. so this is opinion, not knowledge? I haven't yet seen any official news on this.

 

[Mattg]

OK. so this is opinion, not knowledge? I haven't yet seen any official news on this.

The only official information we have at this stage is what's on the Qantas website.

Here are the relevant sections:

LATAM has given notice that they will exit oneworld on 1 October 2020. Until this date passengers will continue to receive the oneworld benefits associated with LATAM's membership. However, Qantas passengers making new bookings for travel from 1 October 2020 will no longer earn Status Credits.

LATAM is part of the oneworld alliance until 30 September 2020, which means you'll also earn Status Credits on eligible flights for travel until 30 September 2020. Effective for travel on or from 1 October 2020, members will no longer earn Status Credits.

As a oneworld Member Airline until 30 September 2020, your Qantas Frequent Flyer membership will allow you to access additional benefits and privileges when flying with LATAM for travel until 30 September 2020. Silver, Gold, Platinum and Platinum One members can also enjoy additional special privileges including access to over 600 lounges worldwide, priority check-in, preferred seating and priority waitlist. Find out more about your oneworld benefits.

To me, that last paragraph makes it quite clear that after 1 October 2020, the additional Oneworld benefits available to Qantas Frequent Flyer members on LATAM (such as lounge access) will no longer be offered.

 

[JohnM]

I broadly agree with @juddles about LA slipping somewhat over the years. Nevertheless, I've mostly enjoyed flying with them. The lack of a DOM lounge in SCL is certainly a major fail.

For me, their pulling out of the OWA is not a great problem as I've pretty much done South America over the last 15 or so years and I don't foresee much likelihood of needing their services again. Glad to say I finished up with S America on a high with a great kick-back there with @juddles earlier this year .

I'm really looking forward to RAM joining the OWA and opening up more opportunities in Africa.

 

[p--and--t]

I'm really looking forward to RAM joining the OWA and opening up more opportunities in Africa.

Would have liked RAC to hurry up their joining, my next trip with them Apr/May before the benefits start being realised.

 

[justinbrett]

I’m tipping both Iberia and Qantas will strike new agreements with LATAM. They all need each other to make their long haul flights work.

Within the Americas is another matter.

 

[simmomelb]

I fly to Brasil once a year, if they team up with VA I would be very happy to see this as it's currently a long path via the USA through VA and Delta to earn status points.

 

[zig]

Received an email from LATAM this morning with some news that they are planning to leave oneworld earlier than originally announced:

As we announced in September, we will leave the oneworld alliance within one year. However, we are reviewing an earlier departure date and will communicate any change in due course.

We know how important it is for you to keep the same benefits and travel experience. That’s why we will maintain our bilateral agreements with the majority of the alliance members, so that you can continue accessing our route networks, lounges as well as earn and redeem miles.

 

[Mattg]

Can confirm, definitely no QF status credits for bookings on LA flight numbers from 1 October 2020.

From this page:

Note: LATAM has given notice that they will exit oneworld. Until LATAM’s exit, passengers will continue to receive the oneworld benefits associated with LATAM’s membership. However, Qantas Frequent Flyers making new bookings for travel from 1 October 2020 on LATAM flight numbers will no longer receive Status Credits.
For travel until 30 September 2020, Qantas Points and Status Credits are earned on all eligible booking classes, except on LATAM and LATAM affiliate codeshare flights operated by an airline other than Qantas or a oneworld member airline.
For travel from 1 October 2020, Qantas Points are earned on all eligible booking classes, except on LATAM and LATAM affiliate codeshare flights operated by an airline other than Qantas.

 

[onetonnerodeo]

Just an experience I wish to share (and I'll also post it on the ultimate OWA multi-city thread).

So I recently went ahead and made a booking for a OWA ticket (it was after the recent exit changes announced by LATAM). There were a couple or so segments on the itinerary with LATAM. I wanted to make some changes, including to one of those LATAM segments. Naturally, this re-issues the ticket. However, the Qantas centre (I reached NZ) was having complications (on more than one occasion) processing this change, as the amendment was no longer being recognised as a points booking and instead it was automatically being re-priced as a full-fee booking.

One of the workers advised from their supervisor that they are waiting on a waiver code (or something to that effect) from LATAM to effectively get around this issue, but haven't had word of a timeline and in the meantime weren't really sure how to deal with it. It wasn't expected to otherwise interrupt with the booking if unchanged, nor prevent you from making new bookings with the points as you can still do, but changes seem to be the sticking point.

Not sure if anyone has encountered any problems or had success with changes, but maybe something to be aware of.

 

[Jacques Vert]

LATAM will now leave Oneworld on 1 May 2020:

| oneworld

www.oneworld.com

 

[zig]

LATAM will now leave Oneworld on 1 May 2020:

| oneworld

www.oneworld.com

That new timing is really annoying.... I have a number of flights booked with LATAM in June within SA. I had factored these into my QFF SG requalification, so back to the drawing board now

 

[Sprucegoose]

The QF-LATAM tie-up can continue though. QF has individual partnerships with several SkyTeam airlines.

Indeed and others. A commercial arrangement does not need to be predicated on an anchor agreement (ie belonging to a master agreement One World/Star A).

Look at QF/AF or QF/WS

 

[farstar]

Looks like QANTAS benefits will be the same except maybe SCs on LATAM flight numbers probably, in the email LATAM sent today

"
As part of the ongoing work to implement our framework agreement with Delta, which seeks to provide our passengers with an industry-leading travel experience, we are working to establish the codeshare agreements with LATAM Airlines Peru, Colombia and Ecuador over the coming weeks.

During 2020, these agreements will be complemented by codeshares with LATAM’s subsidiaries in Chile and Brazil, significantly improving the connectivity between South America and the United States and Canada.

In parallel, we have decided to bring forward our departure from the oneworld alliance, which will be effective May 1, 2020. Up to and including April 30, 2020, your benefits will remain unchanged.
We understand how important it is for you to maintain your benefits and travel experience. That’s why, following our departure from oneworld, we will maintain our existing agreements with the majority of oneworld members (British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines and SriLankan Airlines), and continue to offer the following benefits:


● Access to our combined route network
● Earn and redeem frequent flyer miles or points via respective loyalty programs
● Reciprocal lounge access
● Recognition of elite members in respective frequent flyer programs and associated benefits


Regarding our relationship with American Airlines, we will end our frequent flyer agreements and reciprocal lounge access, effective May 1, 2020. For tickets purchased or redeemed prior to this date, your benefits, mile accumulation, redemption and qualification conditions remain the same.

Additionally, we are working with Delta, a leading airline in customer experience, to create an agreement to establish reciprocal lounge access and frequent flyer benefits, which we expect will be available during the first half of 2020.
As another development we would like to remind you that on February 1, 2020, we will relocate our operations from Terminal 8 to Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York City), offering greater connectivity with destinations in the United States, Canada and around the world. In addition, if you are a Black Signature, Black or Platinum member or are traveling in the Premium Business cabin, you can access the VIP lounge located in the same terminal.

We are committed to keep you updated about advances in the construction of this great alliance with Delta. "