DJ to ever make Star Alliance?

[beardoc]

Just wondering, as it has been mentioned in various threads about DJ things like "one step closer to *A", etc.

But is this all speculation, or is there anything that demonstrates that Virgin Blue is moving into Star Alliance, or at least, looking to do this?

The reason being that I will have *A Gold likely later this year (2 cheap *A RTW fares gets you enough for UA Mileage Plus Premier Executive), and getting access to "The Lounge" when flying DJ and having those flights credit to UA MP would be enough for me to look at switching the majority of my Australian flights to Virgin Blue.

What evidence is there for this ever happening? And is there any evidence that anyone knows of that would go against this?

 

[Travel Guru]

If it does ever happen, you're talking years not months before it will.

There would be a whole list of requirements DJ would need to impliment prior to being considered for entry into *A.

I agree it would be a good thing for Australian travellers, but we'll have to wait and see.

TG

 

[Arthur Hodgson]

If it does ever happen, you're talking years not months before it will.

There would be a whole list of requirements DJ would need to impliment prior to being considered for entry into *A.
TG

I certainly agree with you TG. DJ don't seem to have shown any interest, and they are also now closely aligned with "independent" carriers (eg VS, MH), which also show no interest in global alliances.

Thus, with the present DJ managent, I don't see it ever happening. We can only hope that DJ is taken over at some stage by a more worldly-wise aviation group.

 

[Yada Yada]

If it does ever happen, you're talking years not months before it will.

There would be a whole list of requirements DJ would need to impliment prior to being considered for entry into *A.

I agree it would be a good thing for Australian travellers, but we'll have to wait and see.

Virgin Blue's decision to migrate their systems over to Amadeus was a significant step that would help them move into an alliance. And with the likes of Tiger and Lion with their international connections entering the domestic market, it may help push VB into joining an alliance. However it might not be Star Alliance - could be Sky Team which has less presence in the southerrn pacific region than *A.

Anyway these are just my ramblings. I have no real clue as to what might happen.

 

[oz_mark]

Virgin Blue's decision to migrate their systems over to Amadeus was a significant step that would help them move into an alliance. And with the likes of Tiger and Lion with their international connections entering the domestic market, it may help push VB into joining an alliance. However it might not be Star Alliance - could be Sky Team which has less presence in the southerrn pacific region than *A.

Anyway these are just my ramblings. I have no real clue as to what might happen.

I see them as more likely going into Skyteam than *A, but I doubt that we will see anything anytime soon on this. More likely will just increase individual partners for the time being.

 

[JohnK]

If DJ does join an alliance it is more likely to be Skyteam than *Alliance. Either way it would be good for either of these alliances to have a domestic presence in Australia. In saying all of this I don't think it will happen in the next few years anyway....

 

[dajop]

I see them as more likely going into Skyteam than *A, but I doubt that we will see anything anytime soon on this. More likely will just increase individual partners for the time being.

Agree, afterall Skyteam could maybe find some more trans-pac flights useful to compete with * and oneworld. I think timing is more likely to coincide with launch of VAustralia flights. At the moment though, there is quite an array of unaligned partners being built up, such as Emirates, Hawaiian, Malaysian and VS, and it evens seems there will be reciprocal arrangements with two of these - MH & VS.

 

[oz_mark]

Agree, afterall Skyteam could maybe find some more trans-pac flights useful to compete with * and oneworld. I think timing is more likely to coincide with launch of VAustralia flights. At the moment though, there is quite an array of unaligned partners being built up, such as Emirates, Hawaiian, Malaysian and VS, and it evens seems there will be reciprocal arrangements with two of these - MH & VS.

And one of these days the mooted joining of skyteam by MH will happen as well..

 

[SeaWolf]

There have been talks between DJ and *A in the past about joining, but they've always pretty much ended with "it wouldn't work out at the moment, but maybe in the future".
Star Alliance in talks with Virgin Blue [Archive] - Key Publishing Ltd Aviation Forums

I'd think that the launch of V-Australia would also be a step towards joining an alliance, probably with DJ as their 'regional partner' or something. I don't think that Skyteam is very likely though. DJ has no connection at all with Skyteam and there have been no talks between them in the past. Also, given DJ's mostly domestic routes, it would need an alliance with good connections to Australia otherwise customers would be in a sort of 'alliance island', able to fly the alliance locally, but not to connect internationally. Skyteam also doesn't seem to have shown much interest in Australia and NZ, while *A has been actively interested since the unfortunate collapse of Ansett.

 

[kamchatsky]

If it does ever happen, you're talking years not months before it will.

There would be a whole list of requirements DJ would need to impliment prior to being considered for entry into *A.

I agree it would be a good thing for Australian travellers, but we'll have to wait and see.

TG

What are the requirements for DJ to join *A? Yearly fee? Business/First class? Integrated IT system? Anything else?

 

[Petch]

What are the requirements for DJ to join *A?

1. For it to be in the strategic interests of Singapore Airlines & Air New Zealand, to have them do so.
2. See point 1.

... (if it's something the Blue group of airlines wants/needs, in the 1st place!)

 

[straitman]

A few weeks ago crazydave98 alluded to something occurring in the not to distant future. Maybe it's time for his input again. :mrgreen:

 

[oz_mark]

What are the requirements for DJ to join *A? Yearly fee? Business/First class? Integrated IT system? Anything else?

You might want to put it somewhere we can see it

 

[SeaWolf]

Going back to requirements, I don't think it has to be in the interests of SQ or NZ, just as long as they don't see it as being to their detriment. It would certainly be in the interests of UA and any other *A partners that only service a few Australian cities.

Also, I don't think there's a requirement that they offer business class on all routes, certainly not on domestic routes, as US, UA and NH certainly operate domestic routes that are all economy. However, I think there's probably a requirement that a certain level of service is available, though what that particular level is I don't know. As V-Australia will be a two-class airline (maybe even three) I think this will help satisfy that requirement, though what exactly that requirement is I don't know.

 

[oz_mark]

. Also, given DJ's mostly domestic routes, it would need an alliance with good connections to Australia otherwise customers would be in a sort of 'alliance island', able to fly the alliance locally, but not to connect internationally. Skyteam also doesn't seem to have shown much interest in Australia and NZ, while *A has been actively interested since the unfortunate collapse of Ansett.

No, but there is the long suggested chance of MH joining SkyTeam, which would change the dynamics in the region a bit. Of course, should the MH link never come to pass, then perhaps no point in DJ joining.

 

[dajop]

No, but there is the long suggested chance of MH joining SkyTeam, which would change the dynamics in the region a bit. Of course, should the MH link never come to pass, then perhaps no point in DJ joining.

Think the main benefit of DJ joining would be to get feeder traffic on the V-Australia services from CO, DL & NW and v.v. BUt for their domestic network they would probably need feeder traffic from MH direction.

 

[pauly7]

There have been talks between DJ and *A in the past about joining, but they've always pretty much ended with "it wouldn't work out at the moment, but maybe in the future".
.

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Maybe.... Lion would be a contender? (for Star) Their press releases are a a bit confusing but they seem to be looking at a 2/3 class LCC/full service airline..

Tiger is out of the question I suppose...

 

[ANstar]

Also, I don't think there's a requirement that they offer business class on all routes, certainly not on domestic routes, as US, UA and NH certainly operate domestic routes that are all economy. However, I think there's probably a requirement that a certain level of service is available, though what that particular level is I don't know. As V-Australia will be a two-class airline (maybe even three) I think this will help satisfy that requirement, though what exactly that requirement is I don't know.

BMI offer mostly 1 class on short haul and they are also Buy on Board catering (except for their OWN top tier FF's), so not thatdifferent from Virgin Blue.

 

[scibo10]

Think the main benefit of DJ joining would be to get feeder traffic on the V-Australia services from CO, DL & NW and v.v. BUt for their domestic network they would probably need feeder traffic from MH direction.

Delta is also trying to start flights to Sydney as well as Singapore and Hong Kong in 2008.

Delta celebrates a milestone and Atlanta ties - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

 

[SeaWolf]

I think Delta may be talking about what it intends to do if this open skies agreement between Aus and the US comes to pass. Would be a good thing though, any competition on that route would be a good thing.

If MH were to actually join Skyteam (and it seems like they intend to at some point, they're just being vague about when) then it would certainly start to make more sense for DJ to be involved with Skyteam. Having a local partner might even encourage some existing members to start flying routes down here. From what I can tell at the moment though the only Skyteam carrier that flies to Aus is Korean and only to Cairns, Bris and Syd.

Having said that, I still think it makes more sense for DJ to get into bed with *A. But it's all just speculation really. We live in hope.