Delta Air Lines has just decided to cut ties with Aeroflot temporarily, which is an interesting development.
Continue reading: Delta Suspends Aeroflot Codeshare Partnership
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
I'm not familiar with decision mechanisms within Skyteam, but since it's sort of contractual, I wouldn't be surprised if a unanimous decision is necessary. With two members from China I would surprised if this is happens.
SkyTeam is basically the DL/KL/AF/VS JV, the DL/KE JV and a bunch of little stragglers which Aeroflot is a part of. Had to be done but no major loss either way.
This is nothing more but a symbolic useless gesture from DL PR department. Right now SU operates 3 flights a week on LAX-SVO and 5 flights a week on JFK-SVO routes and I expect that codeshare DL business represents only a small % of those seats and also negligible connecting business. I do not expect SU passengers writing to Putin to withdraw from Ukraine because of the lost DL codeshare. The Russian oligarchs and their families are unlikely to fly commercial but the private charters operating by foreign companies. Thus, even banning all Russian flag aircraft would not help. The real question if the West is ready to stop paying for Russian gas and oil?
Makes absolutely no difference as they simply rebook under the operating carrier prefix. This happens all the time in case of rebooking. Only if the interline agreement were suspended would there be an impact
"I think it would make more of a point if the SkyTeam alliance suspended Aeroflot’s membership."
That's exactly my point too! But not temporarly, just forever. Albeit, the commercial dicision to ban them from having any A/C's and or parts from the Western world will hit Russian Carriers for sure more. I believe they have about 75% Boeing/Airbus. They can stick to Russian or Chinese stuff. Will not bring them that far for a long time. They are turning that country in a kind of North Korea. Time the rest of Europe follows the UK rules.
As I indicated on your other Aeroflot ban piece, BBC News business editor was reporting that Skyteam were considering removing Aeroflot from the alliance.
How long before Putin’s troll army attacks this post like it did on the one about British sanctions?
S7 is a private company while Aeroflot is majority owned by the Russian Federation.
Right, because the final invasion of Ukraine by Putin was what delta needed to make a ethical decision.
It wasn’t invading crimea
It wasn’t Jailing Navalny.
It wasn’t any number of persecutions of any number of minority groups…
So delta… making a bold marketing statement years after they should’ve and then acting like it’s a big move.
Well, if FlyReady's inability to stay online or to actually *do* anything when it is online is any indication of the current state of Delta's IT and cybersecurity posture, then I'd say Russia's been in Delta's networks for at least 6-7 months.
This begs the question: what American would want to travel to Russia right now? Given that Putin is on a rampage, and considers the USA to be an enemy, anything can happen to you when you're there. Not from the Russian people, but from the government.
The amount of money involved in these codeshares is significantly less than what United pays for overflight fees to Russia for its US to India flights and vv
I find it hard to lay blame at Delta's feet, given the entire international community similarly did next to nothing in response to the same events.
You do realize that recent polling shows that Germans, on average, trust Russia more than the US?
United partners with a German airline that has received as much support from its government as Aeroflot has - and that is true of just about every airline that has managed to survive covid.
Temporarily ?? Until Russia takes over Ukraine, hundreds lose their lives and everyone forgets & stops talking about it ? That will be a great time restore the relationship ! Well done delta !
I accept the correction, but the comment still stands, this will in no way hurt SkyTeam
Did SkyTeam remove Delta during invasions in Iraq and Afghanistan? The amount of hypocrisy in Russia/Ukraine threads is palatable. I'm against all war, this one as well, but let's not pretend like other powerful countries (US, China) are much better than Russia. Buillies will always keep bullying.
Trump & Tucker C MAGA mouth breathers? Their praise of Putin & the "savvy" invasion are now in heavy rotation on Russian media.
I wonder if Russia will retaliate by banning US airlines from overflying their airspace. This would definitely impact flights between the US and India and between the East Coast and Asia. Going back to the good old days when all those international carriers had to stop in ANC. Also, I feel like Delta is a stronger partner with VS, a non-Skyteam member, than Aeroflot anyways, so ending the codeshare wouldn't impact much.
Delta, you'd better mind your own business and not get into politics. Focus on your customers instead.
Not useless. We need to ostracized Russia in as many ways as possible. Concerts by Russian artists that do not denounce the invasion are being canceled world wide as they should be. Russian people need to understand that this is not going to be tolerated and in spite of Russian State propaganda something is wrong with Putin. US and other EU countries should ban Aeroflot flights.
Delta is running a scam here, trying to take credit from nothing.
No different than Delta ended their relationship with Jetstar or Thai AirAsia. (Fact!!!!)
1. Delta doesn't fly to SVO.
2. Delta doesn't fly to KBP.
Or Delta doesn't even care about Russia or Ukraine.
Codeshares can still be reissued with a different marketing carrier.
Or no impact to passengers.
How many people even knew Delta had partnership with Jetstar or Thai AirAsia.
That's right nobody cares. So don't take credit for Aeroflot.
Have to agree. If the marketing codeshare is cancelled, they simply rebook under the operating carriers flight. This is standard, as the actual flight is not cancelled per se. Delta carry passengers to St. Petersburg and Moscow via Amsterdam and Paris in cooperation with KLM and Air France, until such time those are suspended.
The only impact on Aeroflot would be if the interline agreement is suspended.
The fish rots from the head, and they need to have sanctions against Putin, his junta and most of the billionaire oligarchs, not your average Russian who has been demonstrating against the invasion.
I love it when companies get into politics, and actually do the right thing for a change
if that poll is correct, it says a lot about the Germans.. then again, the cheap natural gas that the EU sold their souls to Russia, speaks. Most europeans have been spineless from the get go, having the US fully fund NATO while Europe got all of the benefits. Unopposed, Putin would LOVE to take back all of Eastern Europe under his wings. Its public knowledge that he was furious with the collapse of the USSR.
if that poll is correct, it says a lot about the Germans.. then again, the cheap natural gas that the EU sold their souls to Russia, speaks. Most europeans have been spineless from the get go, having the US fully fund NATO while Europe got all of the benefits. Unopposed, Putin would LOVE to take back all of Eastern Europe under his wings. Its public knowledge that he was furious with the collapse of the USSR.
Why would Europe put lives at stake when someone else pays the bill and puts their own citizens' lives at risk? And trust does involve economic issues. Europe is economically much more dependent because of energy on Russia than the US.
In the midst of growing unwillingness for American soldiers to be sent around the world to be killed and maimed, here will be a loud and long discussion about what Europe needs to do help secure its own future - and it heavily involves energy something the US used to understand and the Middle East countries and Russia still understand.
Let's be very clear, though. The Delta-Aeroflot relationship is miniscule in the scope of western-Russian relationships. Delta's move is largely symbolic, no different than their decision to cut off group discounts from the NRA, a discount program that was hardly used.
S7 is still part of oneworld and United spends more money on Russia overflight fees that go directly to the Russian government treasury than Delta and Aeroflot exchanged on airline passenger operations.
Maybe Russian airspace will end up being closed to US airline flights as has happened to the UK but for now United is doing more to enable the Russian government's activities than Delta did with its Aeroflot relationship.
I'm not entirely sure that East Coast to Asia would be impacted that much given ranges these days on jets compared to the old 747-200's that stoped in ANC years ago. I could be wrong. It would certainly add time to blocks so as to route around Russia, but I think most aircraft would still have the range. It's an interesting question though.
I flew Delta and Aeroflot in 2020 IAH LGA/JFK SVO. Now I’m hoarding Beluga gold vodka into my wine cellar. Who would’ve thought .
Chinese companies are private and not dictated to nor owned by the Chinese Communist Party, too. Mwahahahaha
Believe any of that rot and you’ll buy the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Ben - Delta hasn't operated commercial flights to Russia for approaching a decade.
Please correct the statement "as well as Delta-operated services from Los Angeles (LAX) and New York (JFK)".
Must be nice. Delta has another fake excuse to never start flights to India now: Russian overflight.
Lufthansa has just cancelled all flights to Russia and will be diverting around Russian airspace.
All EU countries have now instituted a blockade against Russian aircraft from using its airspace.
Good for Delta, but this has to be just the start. Isolate Russia and let Putin feel some heat from his own citizens.
given that American couldn't get overflight permission even before the war, it is doubtful India was on the short list.
And US and Russian airlines have not been banned from each other's airspace - but if it happens, United is most at risk.
Shall Americans start with the self-isolation as a punishment for so many wars they started?
If you see people you are disagree with, it's better to listen and try to understand why they think so, rather than call everyone with different views Putin trolls
Not having access too Russian airspace will make a lot of longhauls difficult. Russia also loses out on those fees though.
LOL, Americans can't even self-isolate from Covid.
Truth to be told, Americans never started a war. It was others who provoke Americans by harboring terrorists, WMDs, or having too much resources, or having a different political opinion.
Really? Aeroflot generates a lot of revenue for SkyTeam? Especially in the new world where travel to Russia will be minimal and businesses are sanctioned?
Russian troll. Prob not even human.
Russia is a pariah state. Face it. Newest member to axis of evil, congrats, headed by Puny Putin.
Delta is the one who announced the flight to India years ago now… they have the plane to do it without Russian overflight rights.
4 years is approaching a decade? They ended the Moscow flight at the end of 2017.
And AA just suspended the interline with s7 and Aeroflot. Hey delta, that’s actually called doing something with more than marketing value.
As they are the only carrier to have the partnerships then it makes a much bigger impact. If they did nothing I would be surprised. I agree it does not say anything about politics.
what ending a codeshare partnership? that is all what US Americans are willing to do to hurt Russia! Until now the allies are sacrificing more not only to help Ukraine but to show Russia what are the consequences when you invade someone's home.
USA has become a lame duck! too weary of wars and the covid crisis. You are not the only one with those problems, other countries are pulling themselves together and doing everything they can to protect democracy and freedom and our way of life while the US is too lame or perhaps wanting to profit from the situation and therefore having advantages towards their allies and Russian.