Comments on: No frills alliance http://boardingarea.com/blogs/theglobaltraveller/2007/02/no-frills-alliance/ Thoughts, advice and travel news from around the world by a seasoned frequent flyer. Wed, 23 May 2012 17:11:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Flight Wisdom Guru http://boardingarea.com/blogs/theglobaltraveller/2007/02/no-frills-alliance/comment-page-1/#comment-27 Flight Wisdom Guru Wed, 07 Feb 2007 23:35:00 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/theglobaltraveller/2007/02/no-frills-alliance/#comment-27 We would have to respectfully disagree with you.<br /><br />Codeshares - Codeshares mean that another carrier can sell tickets on your flights at whatever price they want, and subject to whatever rules. Codeshares confuse passengers by making them think they are flying with one carrier when they truly are not. Aer Lingus does not codeshare on other airlines and currently only allows codeshares for connecting passengers...so no one can buy the codeshare flight without connecting.<br /><br />Frequent flyer redemption/accrual - Since we think codesharing is a problem...a better solution is for the frequent flyer program to issue the ticket on the other carrier and pay the other carrier a prenegotiated rate for the seat. Aer Lingus does this with its OneWorld alliance partners. The same goes for accrual...the carrier pays the other carrier for the points...the same way American Express pays for TruBlue points.<br /><br />Aligned flight schedules - We seriously doubt either carrier will significantly adjust its schedule. For one, Dublin is too overcrowded. The short-haul and the long-haul flights on Aer Lingus at Dublin are not even aligned. <br /><br />Joint marketing and promotions - Seems to us that this one is the advantage Jetblue and Aer Lingus are looking for above all others.<br /><br />Interlined baggage - Without this...we don't see the point of selling tickets together. Even if they charge extra for it...ie a $5 charge per through-checked bag...<br /><br />--------------------<br /><br />With interline baggage, and hopefully a ticketing agreement, Jetblue can feed Aer Lingus passengers at JFK and Boston...allowing passengers to Ireland and points beyond in Europe to buy a single ticket with luggage transfer. Aer Lingus issues through fares under contract with several characters, most notably American Airlines. <br /><br />Even if the two tickets are issued separately...the ability to use one single booking interface, get guaranteed luggage checkin...People pay for convenience.<br /><br />For now...we will wait till the details are negotiated and released to the public...but Aer Lingus will benefit greatly from getting connecting service to/from the cities Jetblue serves. And Jetblue gets the revenue from sale of those seats. We would have to respectfully disagree with you.

Codeshares – Codeshares mean that another carrier can sell tickets on your flights at whatever price they want, and subject to whatever rules. Codeshares confuse passengers by making them think they are flying with one carrier when they truly are not. Aer Lingus does not codeshare on other airlines and currently only allows codeshares for connecting passengers…so no one can buy the codeshare flight without connecting.

Frequent flyer redemption/accrual – Since we think codesharing is a problem…a better solution is for the frequent flyer program to issue the ticket on the other carrier and pay the other carrier a prenegotiated rate for the seat. Aer Lingus does this with its OneWorld alliance partners. The same goes for accrual…the carrier pays the other carrier for the points…the same way American Express pays for TruBlue points.

Aligned flight schedules – We seriously doubt either carrier will significantly adjust its schedule. For one, Dublin is too overcrowded. The short-haul and the long-haul flights on Aer Lingus at Dublin are not even aligned.

Joint marketing and promotions – Seems to us that this one is the advantage Jetblue and Aer Lingus are looking for above all others.

Interlined baggage – Without this…we don’t see the point of selling tickets together. Even if they charge extra for it…ie a $5 charge per through-checked bag…

——————–

With interline baggage, and hopefully a ticketing agreement, Jetblue can feed Aer Lingus passengers at JFK and Boston…allowing passengers to Ireland and points beyond in Europe to buy a single ticket with luggage transfer. Aer Lingus issues through fares under contract with several characters, most notably American Airlines.

Even if the two tickets are issued separately…the ability to use one single booking interface, get guaranteed luggage checkin…People pay for convenience.

For now…we will wait till the details are negotiated and released to the public…but Aer Lingus will benefit greatly from getting connecting service to/from the cities Jetblue serves. And Jetblue gets the revenue from sale of those seats.

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