Star Alliance planes
Discussion
Been flying in/out of Heathrow a lot over the past month and spotted a couple of planes which don't have a specific airline livery but are adorned with a star alliance logo on the tail, and the various airline tags along the fuselage. Generally they've been parked around the NW corner where T1 and T3 are close together.
Anyone know anything about these planes? Are they hot spares in case of failure or do they belong to one of the airlines?
Anyone know anything about these planes? Are they hot spares in case of failure or do they belong to one of the airlines?
puggit said:
Been flying in/out of Heathrow a lot over the past month and spotted a couple of planes which don't have a specific airline livery but are adorned with a star alliance logo on the tail, and the various airline tags along the fuselage. Generally they've been parked around the NW corner where T1 and T3 are close together.
Anyone know anything about these planes? Are they hot spares in case of failure or do they belong to one of the airlines?
They are a fleet that are owned by an 'alliance' of several airlines, eric'll be along in a mo to tell you which ones
At present there are two alliances,
Star Alliance, which includes BMI, some European ones and some American ones (all the airlines have gone right out of my head).
The other one is One World (a small blue globe logo), BA are part of this, as are (and don't quote) Continental and AA.
Exactly what it all entails I am none too sure of, but it does take in a lot of code sharing, so I presume that if there are 3 airlines all flying from Heathrow to JFK, and not all three can come up with enough bods to fill a 747 then they code share and all three utilise the one plane.
It is also useful with connecting flights, they tend to join up better if they are all in the same alliance, and I think it helps with ticket prices when you have to change halfway there to another airline.... and I also think that if this is the case, then your bags are automatically checked onto the next flight for you.
Star Alliance, which includes BMI, some European ones and some American ones (all the airlines have gone right out of my head).
The other one is One World (a small blue globe logo), BA are part of this, as are (and don't quote) Continental and AA.
Exactly what it all entails I am none too sure of, but it does take in a lot of code sharing, so I presume that if there are 3 airlines all flying from Heathrow to JFK, and not all three can come up with enough bods to fill a 747 then they code share and all three utilise the one plane.
It is also useful with connecting flights, they tend to join up better if they are all in the same alliance, and I think it helps with ticket prices when you have to change halfway there to another airline.... and I also think that if this is the case, then your bags are automatically checked onto the next flight for you.
puggit said:
I'm not asking about the Star Alliance (I'm a BMI card holder) 
More about the planes themselves
They planes all belong to the airlines, but some are dressed up in the Alliance livery, BMI tend to do more of this with their planes, BA just keep their own livery but have the One World logo next to the doors, some just have somewhere on the exterior of the plane in wording that it is part of one allience or another.
Star Alliance was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer customers global reach and a smooth travel experience. Star Alliance has been voted Best Airline Alliance by Skytrax in 2003 and 2005. The members are Air Canada, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, bmi, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Spanair, TAP Portugal, THAI, United, US Airways and VARIG Brazilian Airlines. South African Airways and SWISS will be integrated during the first half of 2006. Overall, the member carriers offer more than 15,000 daily flights to 790 destinations in 138 countries
speedchick said:
At present there are two alliances,
And some others like 'skyteam' which included Delta and Air France I think.
As someone else has pointed out the Star branded planes belong to each airline although I am not sure what incentive they may get for doing this rather than say using their own livery.
Star is the largest alliance but does not include BA so is less useful to a UK based traveller imho (Virgin is not in on of the big alliances)
Ben
I've been doing bits and pieces of their PR, off and on, since 1998. Everything you need to know at www.staralliance.com/star_alliance/star/frame/main_10.html.
Mon Ami Mate said:
I've been doing bits and pieces of their PR, off and on, since 1998. Everything you need to know at www.staralliance.com/star_alliance/star/frame/main_10.html.
not a lot to tell then!...
(i think the link is duff)
eccles said:
I've been doing bits and pieces of their PR, off and on, since 1998. Everything you need to know at www.staralliance.com/star_alliance/star/frame/main_10.html.
not a lot to tell then!...
(i think the link is duff)
Ho hum. www.staralliance.com
>> Edited by Mon Ami Mate on Thursday 22 December 12:08
Mon Ami Mate said:And that link is duff too, cos you left a little '.' in it!
I've been doing bits and pieces of their PR, off and on, since 1998. Everything you need to know at www.staralliance.com/star_alliance/star/frame/main_10.html.
not a lot to tell then!...
(i think the link is duff)
Ho hum. www.staralliance.com.
speedchick said:
Blimey, someone got the French and Americans on the same team????
You know the French are helping out quite heavily with troops and support in Afghanistan don't you?
They are increasing numbers of troops next year as well. www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/ISL20392.htm
It's only Iraq they disagree on, I'm sure they'll forget about it soon and the US and French can go back to hating the British
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