SkyTeam

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SkyTeam
Official Launch Date		June 22, 2000
Members	Full	11
	Non-Voting	3
	Pending	2
Destinations	Airports	841
	Countries	162
Annual Passengers (M)		427.6
Fleet Size		2513
Management		Leo van Wijk (Chairman)
Website		www.SkyTeam.com

SkyTeam is the second largest airline alliance in the world — behind Star Alliance — partnering fourteen carriers from four continents, with two pending members. The stated benefits and goals of the alliance are:

• Easy frequent flyer mile collection and redemption across carriers
• Reciprocal airport lounge access between carriers
• Guaranteed reservations for Elite Plus customers
• More available flights and easier connections between carriers
• More fare options
• Unified check-in for all carriers
• Consistent quality standards across carriers
• One reservation network for all members
• Unified Baggage System

SkyTeam calls itself the "first alliance built around customer needs."[1] In 2005, SkyTeam was the world's best airline alliance, according to the readers of Global Traveler Magazine. In 2006, readers of Global Traveler Magazine once again rated SkyTeam as the best airline alliance. In 2007, Business Traveler Magazine named the SkyTeam to have the Best Airline Alliance Program. SkyTeam also operates a cargo alliance called SkyTeam Cargo with all current SkyTeam members except for Continental Cargo.

Contents 1 Membership history 2 Member airlines 2.1 Full members 2.2 Associate members 2.3 Affiliates 2.4 Future Associate members 2.5 Future members 2.6 Potential future members 3 Premium status 3.1 SkyTeam Elite 3.2 SkyTeam Elite Plus 4 Destinations 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Membership history

• 2000 — Aeroméxico, Air France, Delta Air Lines, and Korean Air launch the SkyTeam alliance on June 22.
• 2001 — CSA Czech Airlines (in March) and Alitalia (on July 27) join.
• 2004 — Continental Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Northwest Airlines join on September 13. Their simultaneous entry has been the largest expansion event in airline alliance history. As a result of the three new members, SkyTeam passes Oneworld to become the second largest alliance.
• 2005 — Even though current member CSA pledged to help Malév Hungarian Airlines become an associate member of the alliance (as opposed to a full member, an associate has no voting rights), Malév opts to join the Oneworld alliance, signing a Memorandum Of Understanding late in May. A few days later SkyTeam announces four new associate members due to join by 2006, each one being "sponsored" by an existing member: Madrid-based Air Europa (sponsored by Air France), Panama-based Copa Airlines (sponsored and partly owned by Continental Airlines), Kenya Airways (sponsored and partly owned by KLM) and Romania's Tarom (sponsored by Alitalia). Every associate will adopt a frequent flyer program of a full member: Copa Airlines already uses Continental's OnePass while Kenya Airways and Air Europa use Air France-KLM's Flying Blue.
• 2006 — Aeroflot joins on April 14. Middle East Airlines is invited to become an associate member.^[1]
• 2007 — Air Europa, Copa Airlines, Kenya Airways become associate members of the alliance on September 1. China Southern Airlines joined SkyTeam on November 15 to become the 11th full member and the first carrier from Mainland China to join a global airline alliance.^[2]

[edit] Member airlines

[edit] Full members

• Aeroflot [2]
• Aeroméxico¹ [3]
• Air France¹ [4]
• Alitalia [5]
• China Southern Airlines [6]
• Continental Airlines [7]
• Czech Airlines [8]
• Delta Air Lines¹ [9]
• KLM [10]
• Korean Air¹ [11]
• Northwest Airlines [12]

¹founding member

[edit] Associate members

• Air Europa [13] (sponsored by Air France)
• Copa Airlines [14] (sponsored by Continental Airlines)
• Kenya Airways [15] (sponsored by KLM)

[edit] Affiliates

• Aeroméxico Connect
• Alitalia Express
• Brit Air
• Cityjet [16]
• Continental Connection
• Continental Express
• Continental Micronesia
• Delta Connection
• Delta Shuttle
• KLM Cityhopper
• Northwest Airlink
• Régional [17]

[edit] Future Associate members

The following airlines are on track to become associate members:

• Middle East Airlines [18] (sponsored by Air France)
• TAROM [19] (initially sponsored by Alitalia, from May 2008 sponsored by Air France)

[edit] Future members

• Air Algérie - in 2006, Air Algérie applied for admission to the alliance; its application has been sponsored by Air France. Air Algérie has been on the waiting list for membership since 2005 and plans to join the alliance at the beginning of 2008. SkyTeam hopes to integrate Air Algérie into the alliance and begin the use of electronic ticketing and launch a frequent flyer program for the airline named Air Algérie Plus. The SkyTeam also anticipates the purchase of new aircraft by Air Algérie.^[3]
• China Airlines- China Airlines already has extensive codeshare agreements with Delta Air Lines, Korean Air, Northwest Airlines, Czech Airlines, and Alitalia, and their vice president has also announced an intention to apply for membership by 2008. ^[4] They are set to be announced as the next full member of SkyTeam in late 2008 and have been in talks since Fall 2007. ^[5]
• Malaysia Airlines - Malaysia Airlines reached an agreement with Air France-KLM to upgrade their codeshare agreements into an alliance in 2006. While there is no timetable for Malaysia Airlines to join SkyTeam, their current restructuring plan puts 2008-2009 as the target years.^[6] Malaysia Airlines also reached an agreement with Alitalia and China Southern Airlines, SkyTeam members, to start code-sharing in 2007. ^[7]

[edit] Potential future members

Note that there is much speculation about non-aligned airlines joining one of the global alliances. The list below includes airlines that have expressed their desire or are in the ongoing negotiations to join SkyTeam.

• China Eastern Airlines - Air France, along with China Southern^[8] are lobbying at China Eastern Airlines to join the alliance, but the airline is also considering joining Oneworld as they have codeshare agreements with American Airlines, British Airways, Japan Airlines and Qantas.^[9][10]
• Kingfisher Airlines - Is in talks to join the alliance^[11]
• Uzbekistan Airways - In February 2008 Korean Air signed a preliminary deal with Uzbekistan Airways for further cooperation that includes sponsoring a bid for the airline to potentially join SkyTeam as an associate member.^[12]
• FlyLAL - Lithuanian Airlines is invited to join SkyTeam alliance as an associate member following a two year negotiation. Date of admission to SkyTeam alliance is to be confirmed soon. FlyLAL already has sharecode flights with KLM and Aeroflot.^[13]
• Vietnam Airlines - In a statement, Leo van Wijk (current Chairman of SkyTeam governing board) stated that SkyTeam is currently in talks with Vietnam Airlines, and is expected to conclude talks lthis year, paving the way for the airline's entry next year. The airline currently codeshares with China Southern Airlines and Korean Air. ^{[14] [15]}

[edit] Premium status

SkyTeam has two premium levels, Elite and Elite Plus, based on a customer's tier status in a member carrier's frequent flyer program. Each of the member and associate airlines recognizes the elite statuses, with a few exceptions. The statuses have no specific requirements of their own; membership is based solely on the frequent flyer programs of individual member airlines.

[edit] SkyTeam Elite

SkyTeam Elite status is awarded to customers who have reached the premium level of a member carrier's frequent flyer program.

Benefits of SkyTeam Elite membership:

• Priority reservations waitlisting
• Priority airport standby
• Priority boarding
• Priority check-in
• Preferred seating

Membership tiers granting SkyTeam Elite:

• Aeroflot (Aeroflot Bonus) - Silver
• Aeromexico (Club Premier) - Gold
• Air France-KLM (Flying Blue) - Gold (for residents of US and Mexico), Silver
• Alitalia (MilleMiglia) - Ulisse
• China Southern Airlines (Sky Pearl Club) – Silver
• Continental (OnePass) - Gold, Silver
• Czech (OK Plus) - Silver
• Delta (SkyMiles) - Gold Medallion, Silver Medallion
• Korean Air (SKYPASS) - Morning Calm
• Northwest (WorldPerks) - Gold, Silver

[edit] SkyTeam Elite Plus

SkyTeam Elite Plus status is awarded to customers who have reached the higher premium level of a member carrier's frequent flyer program.

Benefits of SkyTeam Elite Plus membership:

• Priority reservations waitlisting
• Priority airport standby
• Priority boarding
• Priority airport check-in
• Preferred seating
• Priority baggage handling
• Additional checked luggage allowance
• Airport lounge access
• Guaranteed reservations on sold-out flights
• Express airport security (in some hub airports)

Membership tiers granting SkyTeam Elite Plus:

• Aeroflot (Aeroflot Bonus) - Gold
• Aeromexico (Club Premier) - Platinum
• Air France-KLM (Flying Blue) - Platinum, Gold (for non-US/Mexican residents)
• Alitalia (MilleMiglia) - Freccia Alata
• China Southern - Gold, Platinum
• Continental (OnePass) - Platinum
• Czech (OK Plus) - Gold, Platinum
• Delta (SkyMiles) - Platinum Medallion
• Korean Air (SKYPASS) - Million Miler, Premium
• Northwest (WorldPerks) - Platinum

[edit] Destinations

Main article: SkyTeam destinations

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Website of SkyTeam
• Unofficial info about SkyTeam programs

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v • d • e Members of SkyTeam Aeroflot • Aeroméxico • Air France • Alitalia • China Southern Airlines • Continental Airlines • Czech Airlines • Delta Air Lines • KLM • Korean Air • Northwest Airlines Associate members: Air Europa • Copa Airlines • Kenya Airways Future associate members: MEA • TAROM