Brussels Airlines Joining Star Alliance

[b-west]

As several media report: Brussels Airlines has been invited to become a member of Star Alliance.

The news everybody expected, but very good news nonetheless!

[itami]

One small step for *A, a giant leap for Brussels Airlines !

[Stij]

Anybody news or rumours about (hopefully not to long) future of BruAir's BFlex/BLight concept?

Cheers,

Stij

[Ducatibiker]

Very good news indeed.

Here are some suggestions:
-as on Swiss: early boarding for Gold *alliance
-as on BMI: free food and drinks for Diamond card holders
-as on United: access to Economy +/emergency exit seats
-as on Lufthansa: access to Senator Lounge (Sabena used to have the Presidential Lounge for their Circle members...)
-as in many airports, access to fast lane for security checks and priority tags for baggage

I believe that tomorrow there is the inuguration of the new Star Alliance check-in and ticketing areas at Brussels Airport. I hope that the Brussels Airlines ticketing will also be adapted accordingly as it is today very poorly managed.

[kiwiandrew]

Typical! Just as I am about to leave Belgium .

I dont think this is too much of a surprise , LH indicated at the time of the deal that one of their top 5 priorities for SN would be Star membership , OTOH , I assumed that nothing would actually happen until regulatory authorities had given their approval for the purchase ( which I dont think is expected until sometime early 2009 ? Does anyone have info on this ? )

[kiwiandrew]

As several media report: Brussels Airlines has been invited to become a member of Star Alliance.

The news everybody expected, but very good news nonetheless!

do you have any links for the news reports ? Not that I am doubting you of course ( If I am not mistaken it would be a Federal offence to express doubts about something you have said ) but I always find these news stories interesting to read ... assuming of course that I can read them which depends on the language they were published in

[sdbelgium]

do you have any links for the news reports ? Not that I am doubting you of course ( If I am not mistaken it would be a Federal offence to express doubts about something you have said ) but I always find these news stories interesting to read ... assuming of course that I can read them which depends on the language they were published in

Link from business newspaper De Tijd: http://www.tijd.be/nieuws/ondernemingen ... 88-431.art (in Dutch)

[BrightCedars]

Expected news but it's good to see it hitting the news wires nonetheless.

One can expect a lot of cooperation with many existing Star Alliance members. And it raises some questions with regard to e.g. Air India but I don't think that's much of a concern.

Regarding that article you linked to, although I look at it quickly, I can confirm that Continental Airlines isn't a member yet as wrongly stated in the last paragraph.

[Ducatibiker]

Since November 15, Jet Airways is a partner of United Airlines and you can accumulate miles on UA Mileage Plus for flights between Brussels and US.

[BrightCedars]

According to L'Echo SN held a press conference to announce it's application to join Star Alliance, so it's not being invited as we were first told. Don't know if that makes any difference.

The Star Alliance will convene at 7p Belgian time in Chicago, there will probably be some news after that. I guess SN will then have to do this and that and that before officially becoming a member like a year down the road or something. But it could be faster. Wait and see!

[Bralo20]

Although nearly all media (including Belgian's leading business newspaper "De Tijd") are speaking about an invitation to Star Alliance some sources are claiming that SN will request today to join Star. After this approval it should take 12 to 18 months before SN will effectivly be a Star Alliance member.

So unless otherwise decided this evening in the US it will take probably another year (and a half) before SN is a Star Alliance member.

[Ducatibiker]

Did it take that long (12-18 months) for Egypt Air to become member ?

[kiwiandrew]

Did it take that long (12-18 months) for Egypt Air to become member ?

they took slightly under 9 months , announced Oct 07 full member early Jul 08

LX were reasonably quick as well - announced Jun 05 member Apr 06 so we could see SN in a relatively quick timeframe - with the resources of LH behind them a lot of the systems work necessary could possibly be achieved quite rapidly

[HighInTheSky]

What do they need to do practically? I know it will be a long list, but just some highlights?

[itami]

What do they need to do practically? I know it will be a long list, but just some highlights?

Well, just one example : they need to adapt/update their computer systems to get access to and communicate with the software of the other *A members. However to save time and money I guess they will simply share the LH systems.

[luchtzak]

Star Alliance press release: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=38650
Nederlands: viewtopic.php?p=211746#p211746
Français: viewtopic.php?p=211747#p211747

[HighInTheSky]

So it was an invitation after all? Not that it matters...

Well, just one example : they need to adapt/update their computer systems to get access to and communicate with the software of the other *A members. However to save time and money I guess they will simply share the LH systems.

Thanks! But i think there must be more drastic changes, no? What about the lounges and the whole check-in and boarding process? Any ideas? It will be busy months to come!

[euroflyer]

So it was an invitation after all? Not that it matters...

Well, just one example : they need to adapt/update their computer systems to get access to and communicate with the software of the other *A members. However to save time and money I guess they will simply share the LH systems.

Thanks! But i think there must be more drastic changes, no? What about the lounges and the whole check-in and boarding process? Any ideas? It will be busy months to come!

I do not think they HAVE to change Lounges and check-in policies. That differs quite dramtically between current *A members as well. Of course the lounge policy has to be adapted (who is allowed in, e.g. *A Gold Members from other *A airlines will need access etcetera). But that is mainly IT and training of employees.

The more important changes are probably on accepting upgrades from pax paying with their air miles from other *A airlines and things like this. So again really mostly IT plus training for employees.

And not to forget some stickers on each plane

I would assume the earliest possible date would be begin of winter timetable in October 2009. And that is already quite ambitious. However I expect some things might have been started over the past months already? The news today was not really surprising anymore after LH announced the take over ...

Wll Privilege by than be merged with Miles&More already as well? Would make sense, than they would not have to integrate the Privilege Programme itself in *A anymore, but could use Miles&More right from the start which is already integrated in *A systems anyway.

[HighInTheSky]

Will Privilege by than be merged with Miles&More already as well?

Somebody that is responsible for the Privilege Gold members (like you euroflyer ) told me that they were already planning the change to Miles&More.
So I guess this will be true.

[euroflyer]

Somebody that is responsible for the Privilege Gold members (like you euroflyer )

Thanks for the Info ! But I am not "responsible" for them, I am just a Privilege Member (and yes, with a "Gold" status).