Star Alliance

Launched on May 14, 1997, the Star Alliance is a alliance of different airlines throughout the world. It is the central provider featured on the travel website Travelocity. It has been suspected, and investigated by the EU, for being an attempt to create a virtual merger between all of the airlines.

Features of the Airline alliance:

• The routes are primarily allocated to one airline per area, thus eliminating competition within the Star Alliance.
• Airline mile rewards are applicable to all members of the Alliance.
• Members of a lounge on one airline can access the lounges of all other members.

The Star Alliance is composed of: Air Canada, Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, Austrian Airlines, BMI British Midland, Lauda Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Mexicana, SAS Scandinavian Airlines System, Singapore Airlines, Spanair, Thai Airways International, Tyrolean Airways, United Airlines and Varig. US Airways is scheduled to join the alliance in 2004. Ansett Australia was a member before its collapse in late 2001. Mexicana's membership will end March 31, 2004.

It has been predicted that the Star Alliance will be eventually allowed to merge into a unified corporation, when the United States government tires of subsidizing the airline industry and allows transnational airlines.

External link

• Star Alliance home page