Finally, EgyptAir will join the world's biggest airlines alliance. The move, writes Amirah Ibrahim, will take the carrier several miles up With an official invitation by Star Alliance, due to be announced on 16 October, the national carrier is about to fly towards wider horizons, experiencing the taste of globalisation. Being a member of an airline alliance that has 17 airlines and continues to grow, will strongly benefit the Egyptian carrier and help it stand up against the fierce competition particularly in the Middle East. Five years ago EgyptAir made a complete shift in its management, administrational structure, and policies, all geared towards more profitability. The carrier changed into a holding company in 2002 with nine affiliated companies. Drastic change took place to the international network while management openly adopted more code share agreements with regional and international airlines. "EgyptAir has upgraded its computer systems and has signed code shares with Star Alliance members Bmi, Lufthansa and TAP Portugal," said Safwat Musallam, EgyptAir's commercial department director and head of the newly established international relationships and alliances sector. Air China and Shanghai Airlines will join the Alliance on 12 December 2007. Turkish Airlines enters on 1 April 2008. EgyptAir requested to join the alliance two years ago. Since then, negotiations guided by leading Star members succeeded in bringing the goal to the brink of reality. Star will hold a press conference in Cairo on Tuesday to announce "membership development". "If the airline is accepted into the alliance as expected, full integration normally takes between a year and 18 months," explained Musallam. "EgyptAir would be Star's first member from an Arab country and the second in Africa after South African Airways," he added. Launched on 14 May 1997 Star Alliance is the oldest, largest and most awarded airline alliance in the world, establishing a number of remarkable points of cooperation among its partner airlines. Frequent flyer programme integration allows airline miles to be earned and redeemed on all members of Alliance at the same level with few exceptions. Premium customers of the alliance have access to all members' airport lounges. Meanwhile, flight schedules are coordinated to permit almost seamless travel which may include several different carriers within the alliance on a single ticket. Cooperation also includes special fares for round-the-world travel and provides discounts on booking individual itineraries as well as cooperation in developing a common information technology platform. Prior to Star Alliance, KLM and Northwest Airlines operated together as a modern airline alliance system beginning in 1993. Years before that, there had been earlier groupings of airlines but on a less formal level. The creation of Star Alliance, with 17 member airlines and soon to be 20, sparked the formation of rivals, notably SkyTeam and Oneworld, each consisting of 10 airlines. "Alliance developed the 'regional' concept in 2004 which helps to penetrate individual markets with the regional participation of smaller carriers," Musallam said. "Alliance divided its member airlines into full and regional members, who must be sponsored by a full member. The affiliate airlines are either owned by or in a contractual relationship with a Star Alliance full member." Star Alliance has two premium levels, Silver and Gold, based on a customer's tier status in a member carrier's frequent flyer programme. With only a few exceptions each member and regional airlines recognise Star Silver/Gold status (mainly pertaining to airport lounge access). The status has no specific requirements of their own. Membership is based solely on the frequent flyer programmes of individual member airlines. Star Alliance Silver status is awarded to customers who have reached a premium level of a member carrier's frequent flyer programme. Silver membership grants members priority in reservation waiting lists and airport stand-bys. Some carriers also offer the Silver members priority boarding, airport check-in, baggage handling, preferred seating, additional checked luggage allowance and airport lounge access. Star Alliance Gold status is awarded to customers who have reached a high level of a member airline's frequent flyer programme. Star Alliance Gold membership grants all silver benefits and more. Additional checked luggage allowance of 20kg and airport lounge access to designated Star Alliance Gold lounges on the day and at the place of departure, are other perks offered upon presentation of a valid Star Alliance boarding pass. Some airlines also offer Preferred Seating (exit seat, or even on a special section, which provides more leg room), "Guaranteed Seating" on fully booked flights and "Complimentary Upgrade". Star Alliance members now fly over 16,000 daily flights to 855 airports in 155 countries utilising a fleet of 2,778 aircraft. Its members carried a total of 405.7 million passengers with a turnover of $95.3 billion in 2006. The alliance's market share is 28 per cent of the global market (based on RPK or revenue passenger kilometres). All Star Alliance carriers combined employ over 350,000 pilots, flight attendants and other staff. This year, Star Alliance was voted best airline alliance in the Skytrax 2007 World Airline Awards.
