Star Alliance is seeking to expand its network. The global partnership of airlines would like to add more low-cost budget carriers to the mix. The move would reflect the growing trend among airline customers to choose low-cost carriers when booking tickets. Star Alliance would be in a position to provide budget travelers with more benefits and privileges. This could prove to be a big deal because travelers who choose to book flights on budget airlines knowingly give up many frills and perks in exchange for rock-bottom fares. Membership in Star Alliance could give a budget airline the ability to sweeten the deal for its customers by offering some built-in perks without making a huge monetary investment.
A Glance at Star Alliance
Star Alliance currently has 28 member airlines on its roster. Those airlines are connected to 1,300 airports around the globe. Some of the big players already participating with the alliance are Lufthansa, United Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Air India, Air Canada and Air China. However, budget carriers are underrepresented on the list as of right now. Airlines that participate with Star Alliance allow passengers to use award miles to fly on other Star Alliance network airlines. This makes it possible for travelers to enjoy broader travel possibilities when making plans to get to destinations around the world.
Why Star Alliance Is Courting Budget Carriers
Star Alliance would be foolish to continue to ignore the growing popularity of budget carriers. Airline alliances are focused on giving airlines opportunities to collaborate with global partners when offering perks and resources for their customers. Star Alliance’s intended move is aimed at recapturing passengers who have moved away from legacy carriers to low-cost airlines.
One reason why budget carriers have generally been ignored by airline alliances up until now is that budget carriers tend to be regional. However, the huge success of the low-cost market will inevitably lead more budget airlines to begin offering a wider range of long-haul flights. This will instantly make those airlines more desirable to airline alliances. Star Alliance is getting ahead of the trend by courting budget airlines before the competition becomes heated a few years down the line…
