http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2006/09/17/the-shortcomings-of-airline-alliances-and-star-alliance-in-particular/ Living the first class life -- at coach prices Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:21:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2006/09/17/the-shortcomings-of-airline-alliances-and-star-alliance-in-particular/#comment-1389 Upgrade: Travel Better » Blog Archive » Birth of an alliance? JetBlue and AerLingus join forces Wed, 07 Feb 2007 04:56:26 +0000 http://upgradetravelbetter.com/?p=326#comment-1389 [...] Alliances are a mixed bag: On the one hand, they offer you a broader range of destinations to book on a single ticket, ostensibly with point-earnings, mutually-recognized status, and a global network of lounges, etc. to boot. But they’re never as smoothly integrated as the marketers claim. (For some more discussion of the downsides of alliances, see here. For some more color on the pros and cons of codeshares more generally, see here.) [...] [...] Alliances are a mixed bag: On the one hand, they offer you a broader range of destinations to book on a single ticket, ostensibly with point-earnings, mutually-recognized status, and a global network of lounges, etc. to boot. But they’re never as smoothly integrated as the marketers claim. (For some more discussion of the downsides of alliances, see here. For some more color on the pros and cons of codeshares more generally, see here.) [...]

]]> http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2006/09/17/the-shortcomings-of-airline-alliances-and-star-alliance-in-particular/#comment-1155 Kate Sun, 04 Feb 2007 23:16:47 +0000 http://upgradetravelbetter.com/?p=326#comment-1155 The Star Alliance is neither celestial nor aligned. Take a strong dose of patience and allocate at least 30-60 minutes of phone time if you want to redeem any US airlines' frequent flier miles for an international flight which requires any or all portions to be provided by a member of the Star Alliance. Since you cannot book these reservations via United or USAirways' web sites, you must call and speak to an agent, and they will consume many minutes navigating their own and their so-called partners' reservation systems to find an appropriate routing. They will then have the audacity to charge you a phone booking fee even though you have no other way to conduct this transaction. You will still have to call the partner airline for your seat assignments and meal preferences, so you are again forced into another 20-30 minute call. There's little evidence that these airline alliances provide any benefit to passengers because they impose these inconveniences and require the customer to interact wiith each individual airline anyhow. If you fuss about the phone booking fee, they will send you a paper voucher for a future reservation which, surprise, you must conduct via the phone! No wonder airlines are the most despised businesses of all. The Star Alliance is neither celestial nor aligned. Take a strong dose of patience and allocate at least 30-60 minutes of phone time if you want to redeem any US airlines’ frequent flier miles for an international flight which requires any or all portions to be provided by a member of the Star Alliance. Since you cannot book these reservations via United or USAirways’ web sites, you must call and speak to an agent, and they will consume many minutes navigating their own and their so-called partners’ reservation systems to find an appropriate routing. They will then have the audacity to charge you a phone booking fee even though you have no other way to conduct this transaction. You will still have to call the partner airline for your seat assignments and meal preferences, so you are again forced into another 20-30 minute call. There’s little evidence that these airline alliances provide any benefit to passengers because they impose these inconveniences and require the customer to interact wiith each individual airline anyhow. If you fuss about the phone booking fee, they will send you a paper voucher for a future reservation which, surprise, you must conduct via the phone! No wonder airlines are the most despised businesses of all.

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