JetBlue, Aer Lingus to forge world's first international discount alliance
JetBlue and Aer Lingus are forming a strategic alliance, according to various media reports. Aer Lingus claims the partnership "would be the world's first tie-up between two international low-cost carriers," Reuters writes. "The partnership will significantly extend Aer Lingus' reach into North America," the Dublin-based airline said in a statement on Tuesday. "Customers will now be able to make just one booking, which will allow them to travel from Ireland to the U.S. and onto a direct JetBlue flight to 51 destinations."
"Both Aer Lingus and JetBlue stressed their agreement did not go quite as far as traditional alliances, however, because there was no code-sharing deal to allow them to sell seats on one another's planes as if they were their own," Reuters writes. "Instead there will be buttons on each other's Websites that connect the two." At a news conference today to discuss the deal, Aer Lingus CEO Dermot Mannion says the web-based alliance is simply "a very low cost booking process between two low-cost carriers." He adds: "It costs virtually nothing, we're developing this thing in house. We're going to let the machinery do the work." JetBlue officials, meanwhile, say they hope the deal will put more paying passengers on its flights. "JetBlue ... is still in partnership talks with other international carriers," adds company spokesman Bryan Baldwin. The alliance is expected to be put in place this summer.
Very interesting...I remember a few years back SWA was trying something like this with Icelandair.
So this is an alliance, or just a link to a new webpage? How very LCC.
Sounds alot like the AirTran/Frontier marketing relationship....
Pointless. Have no idea why they even bother. No FF earning or burning. No savings for booking between the two. And Aer Lingus, for its part, has never appeared like a real money-saver across the Atlantic to me.
I would be surprised if it even delivered modest gains to the airlines.
travelgourmet, it put their names in the papers...that is about all it will do for either airline.
I wonder if we are going to see a LLC alliance in the future I.E Oneworld. They could call it "The No Frills, Don’t Care Alliance."
Hmmm...a lot of these comments sound eerily similar to past statements admonishing "useless" ideas like eliminating barely-edible meals, simplifying fare structures and frequent-flyer programs that a NASA engineer couldn't figure out, and providing in-flight entertainment that goes beyond the most recent Disney movie and/or Justin Timberlake single.
Maybe some of you need to take that trip with the "Ghost of Aviation Past" before callously saying, "Bah, humbug!"
JetBlue should do very well with this new venture. What Jetblue is doing is giving itself a name on the other side of the Atlantic. Further, this concept is in line with Aer Linqus plans to transfer itself into a LCC. Please note, Aer Lingus has annouced it will be leaving Oneworld this year as part of thier transformation process into a international LCC. Im sure they will announce further details of thier plans in the future.
This partnership won't give JetBlue any advantage cause its pointless. Before going international JetBlue should see that they connect most of the US.
Hmmm...a lot of these comments sound eerily similar to past statements admonishing "useless" ideas like eliminating barely-edible meals, simplifying fare structures and frequent-flyer programs that a NASA engineer couldn't figure out, and providing in-flight entertainment that goes beyond the most recent Disney movie and/or Justin Timberlake single.
Maybe some of you need to take that trip with the "Ghost of Aviation Past" before callously saying, "Bah, humbug!"
Posted by: Ryan | Feb 7, 2007 12:30:51 AM
I suppose then if you're a fan of Southwest, your expectations didn't have far to fall either.
"I suppose then if you're a fan of Southwest, your expectations didn't have far to fall either.
Posted by: udflyer97"
Unless you want to talk about profits, then they are the only expectation that even have the option of falling.
Unless you want to talk about profits, then they are the only expectation that even have the option of falling.
Posted by: AirNerd | Feb 7, 2007 9:06:55 AM
And that, they are.