Star Alliance says it won't chase Virgin Australia to join up
By David Flynn, May 18 2017
Star Alliance says it has little interest in signing up Virgin Australia as a member, despite its description of Australia as a "white spot" lacking a domestic Star airline.
Speaking at a Star Alliance press conference in Frankfurt, Germany to mark the group's 20th anniversary, Star Alliance CEO Jeffrey Goh cited Australia as one of several such "white spots" around the world.
"Australia is (domestically) served by Qantas and Virgin Australia, but like many white spots it is also served by many Star Alliance member airlines... we're not going to add members for the sake of adding, (an airline) has to have additional value to the Star Alliance proposition."
"There are not many airlines who are interested in joining Star Alliance who we are interested in having” added Star Alliance chairman Pedro Heilbron.
However, Goh allowed that in some burgeoning markets "we are constantly on the lookout."
"India and Brazil are big and fast growing markets (where) we are constantly assessing to see whether one or two or even a third member will meet our purposes."
David Flynn is visiting Frankfurt as a guest of Star Alliance.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
QF
11 Jul 2014
Total posts 658
If Virgin bonded better with it's partners it wouldn't need to be in Star Alliance but let me tell you when your at Paris Airport, your wife is on airside of customs and the Singapore Airlines staff are giving you crap at the check in counter Qantas looks good. Then to come back to Australia and Singapore Airlines agrees the customer was right but doesn't really seem to care Qantas International flights look a better option.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
19 Feb 2014
Total posts 452
Could have happened to anyone by any airline.
16 Nov 2011
Total posts 599
And? That makes it ok?
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 952
I think VA has clearly stated in the past that it is not interested in Star so I don't know why this is continually brought up. VA has a good relationship with DL and probably has no interest in inflicting UA on its customers. SQ is the only equity partner in Star and it appears OK that VA has remained outside.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
12 Jun 2011
Total posts 153
Star is a little more rigid in their rules for their members. For QF, oneworld works well because there is the streamlined benefits when travelling on OW and then they have same or similar benefits when flying with their partners.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 952
Unfortunately the benefits on Oneworld are not consistent. A QFF member flying BA, CX or MH will earn a lot less in points and status credits compared with QF.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
12 Jun 2011
Total posts 153
The benefit of an alliance is that you earn points and status credit on partner airlines. The fact that it is not consistent in terms of points and status credits is an individual airline issue that has existed since the creation of allainces.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Apr 2012
Total posts 307
I think OneWorld are more consistent than what Star alliance are able to offer
28 Dec 2016
Total posts 70
Doesn't matter if they join an alliance or not, they need to become a profitable business in the first place. They have not had a profitable year since 2012.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
28 Jul 2013
Total posts 81
Where is the 'Singapore Girl' in the group photo ?
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 795
Someone had to take the photo...
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2515
She's the one standing just ahead of the engine - she's German SQ ground crew wearing ground crew kit, which partners a batik scarf with a dark blue dress with subtle batik stitching - I had to look twice to find her, and that was in the flesh at the Frankfurt event.
21 Sep 2011
Total posts 66
On Air China's right is SQ ground staff.
06 Feb 2014
Total posts 119
Gotta love gender diversity in the airline business...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 May 2014
Total posts 456
Yep, that's why there is a female pilot...
21 Sep 2011
Total posts 66
Maybe not as a full member but perhaps the Connecting Partner Model makes more sense for the time being?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
25 Sep 2013
Total posts 1268
Haha I think this makes it pretty clear that *A is simply not interested or doesn't see the value in VA
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
08 Aug 2016
Total posts 59
virgin doesn't realise how much more attractive they could be in an alliance. for starters there would be no more wondering which lounge you can use or if you can even use one at all instead of not backtracking to the domestic terminal in melbourne.
09 Nov 2011
Total posts 88
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
07 Dec 2014
Total posts 173
Well, I will say - I would be happy to fly on any of Virgin's current partners. There are members in each of One World, Star, and Skyteam that I would avoid. So in that metric at least, Virgin has done a better job at choosing its partners.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
30 Jul 2014
Total posts 12
If they join, will I get my Life Golden Wing membership reinstated? Well I suppose I should get over it LOL
QF
11 Jul 2014
Total posts 658
The way Virgin is going you might lose points a second time
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Apr 2017
Total posts 131
Hate alliances, the areas where they should help tend, they don't (seamless interlining with other alliance carriers). I want to fly Delhi-Frankfurt-Lisbon-Porto Alegre - to book it with Lufthansa is cheap, but involves doubling back to Frankfurt from Lisbon, then going onwards to Sao Paulo or Rio and making my way from there. Whereas flying star alliance - Delhi-Frankfurt-Lisbon on Lufthansa and Lisbon-Porto Alegre on TAP is 3 times the cost, only marginally more convenient and has a worse hard product and earning rate on miles isn't as good iirc. That's an opportunity to provide a seamless experience.
04 May 2016
Total posts 34
Love alliances. Oneworld was the reason I stuck with QF, BA, AA for so long. But those were the good old days. Star works much better for me now. SQ, TG, UA, BR have all been decent for me recently. Choose the best airline for the route. The only thing missing is a domestic *A partner. Until then I have no reason to fly VA.
"There are not many airlines who are interested in joining Star Alliance who we are interested in having”
Since his other words don't actually say Star wouldn't take VA, I'm still left thinking that VA is not that interested and for that I wonder why.
Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus
15 Jan 2013
Total posts 364
the lack of a domestic partner is what stops a lot of us from flying them.I have memberships in both Velocity and Thai Royal Orchid Plus that are of use on SQ but for say any LH,UA,TG FLYING My Velocity is useless there and as such have to put up with lower mileage in my other membership.
13 Feb 2020
Total posts 3
Tthere is a way to deal with the enemy that would veto them from them joining Star Alliance a merger with Hawaiian Airlines they'd most likely want some concessions the airline being renamed to Virgin Pacific their subsidiary keep it's Hawaiian identity and more turboprop planes be added
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