SIA and Star Alliance. A good match?

[flo]

I dunno how to put this but I wanted your opinion on this ...

Personally, I do not think that Singapore Airlines benefits that much from Star Alliance. Sure, shared miles and code-sharing are cool but I have the feeling that there are some factors that *A and SIA do not fit together very well ...

1) The experience
The Singapore Airlines brand lives by its reputation. The travel experience is perhaps the most important thing to SIA because they state to provide it, wile others fail to do so. In Star Alliance, SIA is the only airlines that can provide such an atmosphere, perhaps Thai can match up a bit if you're not especially on an old A300. Compare an SQ regional flight to a United / US Airways domestic flight. It's a completely different experience. Doesn't it devalue the Singapore airlines brand?

2) SIA too powerful?
Does SIA even need the Star Alliance? SQ even competes with LH on the FRA - JFK sector and is a worldwide powerhouse on it's own. I do not really see the benefits from the Alliance, besides perhaps feedering regional passengers to Alliance hubs.

3) Prospects
SIA is all about luxury and exclusivity. Even Y passengers get good treatment aboard Singapore Airlines. LH for example follows a completely different approach as they know they are one of the european market leaders that transports the mass rather than the class. Not that LH is bad or so, but they just introduced Y seats with PTV while SQ has had them for several years (!) now. This trend will continue because SQ has to be more innovative than other carriers to maintain their beloved status as airline #1 in the world and EK is somewhat pushy ... with airlines such as LOT (don't get me started on them, I once flew on a 20-year-old 767 with them) in an Alliance, I don't know if it's possible for SIA to get the maximum out of their branding.

These are just some things that crossed my mind when I thought about the topic. But what do you guys think? Is Star Alliance the best alliance for Singapore Airlines or would SQ perform better on it's own or with another alliance?

Much appreciated,
Flo

[jjpb3]

Oooh, you know how to stoke the embers, Flo.

[lee_apromise]

hmm....I need SIA to be in *A so that I can earn miles from SQ and put it into OZ account.

KE's price is just way too expensive (either ex-BNE or ex-ICN) and OZ only flies to SYD from ICN. That leaves me with CX, JL, SQ, TG or MH.

Ever since JL joined OW, I stopped flying with JL because the fare sold in Korea only earns 50% miles. TG and MH offers terrible connections as you know (via KUL or BKK and SYD).

CX is ok but since it makes an additional stop in CNS, I find it very inconvenient. Therefore SQ is the best choice for me yet, allowing me to earn 13384 miles RW compared to 9493(?) miles by direct route.

I guess it's just the price for living in a crap town called Bris-vegas.

[PhilH]

I've often thought SQ would do better in Oneworld, but with competition regionally from CX and on the Kangaroo route from BA/QF I can't see it personally.

[jjpb3]

I've often thought SQ would do better in Oneworld, but with competition regionally from CX and on the Kangaroo route from BA/QF I can't see it personally.

I agree with you, PhilH. SQ seems to me better suited for OW (an alliance that isn't expanding willy-nilly, e.g., taking in AI just for the sake of coverage, without regard to quality), but as you said, the Kangaroo route is too important for QF profits (I think BA is more focused on the TATL routes), and CX wouldn't consider SQ very welcome, either.

Would it surprise me if SQ were taking a hard look at the value *A membership provides it? Not at all.

[huaiwei]

It appears that every alliance or tie-ups between SQ and just about any partner starts to immediately devalue once the market opens up incrementally. I get the impression that SQ only gets itself involved in alliances because it can't fly its metal there due to factors beyond its control. Once these hurdles are removed and SQ begins to march into sacred territory, the gloves are off, and former partners quickly become foes.

It may be many many years away, but if current trends continue, SQ is probably going to irritate some key Star Alliance members and get itself booted out!

[jjpb3]

It may be many many years away, but if current trends continue, SQ is probably going to irritate some key Star Alliance members and get itself booted out!

I think SQ has already done the bit about irritating other members. I vividly recall one SQTalker's report of attending a *A meeting, and of the amount of invective aimed at SQ by the Yellow Stork airline in Europe.

[singaporu_kooku]

Maybe SQ should just create the 4th alliance... SQ is known to irritate other members and not following Star Alliance guidelines, the star alliance special livery planes is one example.

[MAN Flyer]

I've often thought SQ would do better in Oneworld,

What Phil actually means is, he wishes SQ would join Oneworld.

[flo]

Maybe SQ should just create the 4th alliance... SQ is known to irritate other members and not following Star Alliance guidelines, the star alliance special livery planes is one example.

what about the special livery plane?

[jjpb3]

what about the special livery plane?

What singaporu_kooku might have been referring to, was SQ's refusal, on the *A livery planes, to replace the tailfin's Golden Goose with the *A logo.

[flo]

aaah thx!

[singaporu_kooku]

Thanks, jjpb3. I should have clarified it further. SQ refused to have the star alliance logo in the tailfin, as it may dilute their branding.

[PhilH]

What Phil actually means is, he wishes SQ would join Oneworld.

Well, yes I suppose so!

[flo]

i don't know... there is apparently no market for luxurious flying in the US and Europe ... cause it would probably be a logical step for SQ to team up with carriers like themselves. i also do not know why exactly there's never been a real marketing / branding concept to establish a european "upper class" airlines though there are plenty of carriers for the masses (LH, AF, KL, IB, BA). isn't this kind of odd? i'd guess smaller airlines like OS and LX (though owned by LH ...) would have opted for better traveling experiences to offer a different product as the majors, thus perhaps gaining some market share.

it would be a logical step to me that SQ could use partners that think alike. it would not devastate their branding and perhaps be what a good alliance should be: a benefit for ALL the carriers. they would not really battle for the same routes, would offer products of similar quality and as a result stand for an overall great traveling experience, wherever you fly.

me for example, the only carrier in star alliance i really love to fly is SQ. i'd also fly with TG and NH, probably with LX (but def not long haul) and UA but i really hate flying with OS, LH, LO, AI and TR. The rest is so-so ... i still don't get why SQ is teaming up with "middle-class" carriers that somewhat devalue the SQ brand.