Starlux Airlines Wants To Join Oneworld Alliance, But Is Being Blocked

A trade of CX for SQ would be excellent for oneworld more generally but obviously it would never happen. Similarly can’t help but think most of the oneworld airlines wish they were partnering with UA (or DL) at this point. Oneworld does seem to be doing a good job of sucking up the most premium remaining non-aligned airlines.

Between SriLankan, RAM, Fiji, and even Oman Air, the latest addition of Philippine is not inspiring from a premium airline perspective. Especially when you consider the loss of LATAM.

It would be great if Starlux was going to join. I think it could happen, if they can agree with Cathay on a strategic alliance. Their network overlap is far from 100 percent, e.g., Europe including the UK is an important market for Cathay but not for Starlux. So if they get to terms, this would be great.

But Keitherson, AA are a founder member of the alliance, but toi they are hardly an “Inspiring from a premium airline perspective”.

That should read …

But Keitherson, AA are a founder member of the alliance, but today they are hardly “Inspiring from a premium airline perspective”. Apologies.

It would be awesome (for oneworld and those of us who have status with them) if both Starlux (and China Southern) joined oneworld. Wish Starlux would operate to NYC area, too.

Given how impossible it is these days to redeem premium cabin award seats on CX, Starlux would be a welcome alternative. Hopefully PR will also have better availability up front.

Is there a provision for the other founding members to expel CX?

Considering that starlux is launching prague route in agust this year and tries to make barcelona, zurich routes next year, I think cathay pacific would still do veto.

It's not there yet, but someday I might favor expulsion of CX or creation of a new alliance with all except CX.

An interesting observation for the starlux vs philipine discussion is I learned a couple of months ago that PAL actually partners with China Airlines in Taiwan - codeshare and lounge access. That was a bit surprising considering they must have been actively working on OneWorld membership at that point

It makes sense; TPE is considered a hub for Cathay. In addition to the mountain of HKG frequencies, they also fly to Seoul and Tokyo from TPE. With Mainland continuing to blocked most flights to the USA, connecting traffic to and from China is extremely lucrative. It’s why a tiny Island nation can sustain three major carriers

I only have three experiences with CX:
* NRT to TPE (paid for what appeared to be economy, received zero points or status for it on AA - this is the norm for them. You need a 4x price full fare economy ticket to receive points.)
* DXB to HKG (AA award for business, overnight flight. Subpar aircraft, nonexistent service.)
* HKG to ICN (AA award for business, day flight, gross food. And I eat almost anything.)

Given my crappy redemption experiences and paid reward experience, I have a 0% chance of flying them. CX, do better. Don't make your alliance "do worse" as a strategy.

The world probably is ready for a 4th alliance, JX, think about it=)

I'm not sure having airline partners has a lot to do with this. Airline can still sign commercial agreements with airlines outside the alliance. If there's an airline willing to codeshare with Starlux, or offer decent interline fares, it can still do so without a oneworld membership. And reversely, being in oneworld doesn't guarantee such agreement would be signed by other airlines.

Alliance membership mostly affects FFP benefits and some "soft perks" not important to many people, such as interlining on separate tickets (something many airlines these days anyway).

12 paragraphs before any mention of who's blocking. Do better, Ben.

This is known (unverified but known) that CX is the obstacle for JX to join oneworld, and it makes sense:
- CX is the largest carrier flying between Taiwan and HK
- TPE is a mini-hub for CX and it still flies to ICN, NRT, and KIX non-stop from TPE.
- Transit passengers originating from Taiwan is a significant business for CX with lucrative market up front.

There is little for CX to gain from a JX entry to oneworld. Frankly, I don't know what JX can do to make it happen; perhaps a stake in JX by CX? (is CX even interested in doing that?) JX and CX are not even interlined at the moment.

PR is a very different situation. PR and CX has a history of partnership. Back in 1998, when PR was in trouble (Asian financial crisis), CX stepped in to fly some of PR's domestic and international routes. CX even considered investing in PR then but fell through. Philippines is a low-yield destination, and CX felt that they already capture the business class market quite well there; thus, PR's entry to oneworld would actually help expand CX's reach in that country.

You may recall AA's investment in CZ back in 2017, hoping that would establish a closer tie with CZ. Geopolitics are always the wildcard and it did not result in closer cooperation between AA and CZ other than code-sharing. The power in China resides in Beijing (CA), not in Guangzhou (CZ).

Starlux would be a great addition, Malaysia and Philipines are not the top notch airlines Oneworld needs. Starlux would be a great airline next to JAL & Cathay.

Even though it is bittersweet as an Alaska flyer, I'm fine with it. If we let Starlux join, then the floodgates of other random miles will enter to take our Starlux J space. I like flying Cathay too and I'm willing to take the L on this to preserve what little we have of our miles. I'm selfish but sucks for everyone else lol.

Cathay is a great member of the Oneworld and all the haters are crazy bc the lounges are top tier

China airlines actually have pretty tied relationships with Japan airlines, Malaysia airlines and Qantas, okay relationships with British airways and Cathay Pacific.

But China airlines is stranger to Delta.

You buried the story. Took way too long to mention The Who and why is blocking.

And F off Cathay.i hope they get sued and lose. A lot

@Joey On what legal grounds? As a founding member, CX simply exercised its rights as permitted by the OneWorld Alliance charter? In your opinion, if other airlines want to join an alliance but is blocked they can sue as well and the argument is that founding members cannot block us from joining even though it is clearly stated that they can?

@Creditian Totally correct about the strange relationship between CI and DL. Both part of Skyteam but they do not like each other. Supposedly DL is pissed off that CI launched the Seattle to Taipei route.

The consensus amongst travel anyalst seems to be that there isn't much value left in alliances. So why bother? They should instead focus on building joint ventures with airlines that bring the most value to them, and beef up their network. Some good prospects seem to be AS in North America, Turkish/Air Europa in Europe, and Virgin Australia or Qantas in Australia(imo Australia seems to be a hard one.) Something akin to what Emirates has done with United and Air Canada.This would be the most beneficial for the airline and could be rapid. They would need a JV anyways for better cooperation so why depend allegiance to an alliance group? In addition, CX has eaten up a lot of the traffic ex india for Mainland china and East Asia that's a missing dot that should be quickly remedied. (beyond too due to CX massive international operation. There use to be a time where (CI) China airlines was the only ROC carrier into New Delhi but they have seemed to back track.

Cathay, China Southern and Starlux perhaps can be convinced to think of an alliance in a new way akin to 'A New Golden Triangle' for the OW alliance and tie in a huge portion of Asian, Chinese and South East Asian flying. It would be powerhouse in the region.

Starlux would be a fun addition. For a bunch of reasons I can't visit or even transit through China (including HK) without special clearances and a lot of headaches. That makes Cathay virtually unusable.

CX hasn't flown TPE-ICN since COVID-19. CX does fly TPE-NGO.