Hey, aviation fans, you know what? TaiwaneseStarlux Airlines(Starlux Airlines-JX) is rapidly rising to become a shining star in the aviation industry! ✨ This airline was established before the epidemic. Although the timing is a bit unique, Xingyu has demonstrated amazing resilience and growth, and has carved a niche in a fiercely competitive market. Xingyu currently has an ultra-modern fleet including Airbus A321neo, Airbus A330-900neo and Airbus A350-900, and is committed to becoming a high-end airline focusing on innovation and customer service. Despite the many challenges faced by the global aviation industry, Xingyu continues to actively expand its route network. 📈
Xingyu currently flies to major US cities such as Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO) and Seattle (SEA), with plans to add more destinations in the near future. Then, here comes the problem... Xingyu has too few partners, which limits their global coverage. Now they only work withAlaska Airlines(Alaska Airlines-AS) has a collaboration, which is a bit like having a small circle of friends and not being able to attend more parties.
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Starlux Airlines’ dream: Join oneworld🌏
Last year, everyone was wondering whether Xingyu would consider joiningOneworld(One World) Alliance. Recently, Xingyu finally revealed that they intend to apply to join this prestigious global aviation alliance. This move is expected to greatly improve Xingyu’s flight connectivity and service levels, making it feel like entering a luxury club in the aviation industry.
Why oneworld is Xingyu’s best choice🤔
According to Taiwanese media reports, StarLux said at an investor meeting that they intend to join the oneworld alliance. Considering the fierce competition in Taiwan's aviation market, this strategic move seems very reasonable. Taiwan's aviation market is dominated by two major airlines: China Airlines-CI is a member of the Skyteam alliance, while EVA Air-BR is a member of the Star Alliance. Then, of course, Oneworld is the ideal choice for Xingyu!
Benefits of joining oneworld💼
Joining oneworld will bring many benefits to Starlux:
- Expand your network: Becoming a oneworld member will significantly expand Starlux’s flight network, allowing passengers to seamlessly connect to more destinations around the world through other members of the alliance. 🗺️After StarAir joins oneworld, if it can cooperate with Japan Airlines-JL, it will greatly expand Starlux’s network in Japan; and cooperation with American Airlines can significantly enhance its reach in the United States, especially in the United States. It is even more advantageous when it comes to expanding beyond the West Coast of the United States.
- increase traffic: Membership is expected to bring more passenger traffic to Staryu’s flights through codeshare agreements and interline cooperation with other oneworld member airlines. 🚀Although American Airlines and Alaska Airlines currently do not have routes to Taipei Taoyuan, they can bring more benefits from the American connecting passengers brought by Starlux Airways in the future.
- Improve customer experience: Passengers will benefit from smoother connections, a shared frequent flyer program and access to more lounges and services. ✈️
- Competitive Advantage: Connecting with the Oneworld alliance will allow Staryu to gain a competitive advantage in Taiwan’s aviation market and provide passengers with an alternative to SkyTeam and Star Alliance airlines. 💪If Air China-CA officially takes over Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific and transfers it to the Star Alliance, another Asian partner will be invaluable to oneworld. Oneworld's influence in Asia is not strong. Japan Airlines only provides limited transfer services in Asia, while Malaysia Airlines (MH) and Sri Lankan Airlines (UL) also have relatively limited route coverage.
Challenges to overcome 🧗
Although there appear to be many clear benefits to joining the Oneworld alliance, Xingyu still faces some challenges in joining Oneworld, mainly due to the alliance structure and the veto power held by the founding members.
Founding member’s veto power🛑
Founding members of oneworld - American Airlines (AA), British Airways (BA), Cathay Pacific (CX) and Qantas Airways (QF) - are excited about the addition of new members veto power. This may create a conflict of interest, as founding members may prevent new members from joining due to competitive concerns.
Cathay Pacific Factor🇭🇰
As a founding member of Oneworld, Cathay Pacific may view Starlux as a direct competitor in the region because Taiwan and Hong Kong are geographically very close and their markets are highly overlapping. Such competition could lead Cathay Pacific to exercise its veto power to prevent Xingyu from joining Oneworld. A similar situation once occurred with China Southern Airlines (CZ). It is reported that Cathay Pacific used its influence to prevent China Southern Airlines from joining Oneworld after leaving the SkyTeam alliance.
Possibility of compromise 🤝
Although the veto is a significant obstacle, there is always the potential for negotiation and compromise. In the post-pandemic era, many changes have taken place in the aviation industry, and alliances are constantly evolving. If Xingyu can make a persuasive proposal emphasizing the mutual benefits of its membership, the possibility of an agreement remains.
Oneworld’s future development🌐
Oneworld plans to expand in the near future, with Fiji Airways (FJ) and Oman Air (WY) recently joining. Adding StarLux to the alliance will further strengthen its global network and provide travelers with more choices.
Conclusion 📌
StarLux's joining the oneworld alliance is a logical and beneficial move for Taiwan's highly competitive aviation market and to improve connectivity. While Cathay Pacific's veto power poses a significant challenge, for Starlux and Oneworld, the potential benefits make the opportunity worth pursuing.
The aviation landscape is constantly changing, and strategic partnerships and alliances will play a key role in shaping the future. Regardless of whether Xingyu successfully joins Oneworld, the airline's ambitions and growth trajectory indicate that it will continue to be an important player in the industry.
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