Qatar Airways threat to quit Oneworld alliance – The National
In another so-called “landmark” press conference with little substance, Qatar CEO Akbar Al Baker said that Qatar might leave oneworld if American doesn’t stop pursuing its case with the US government against the 3 big Middle East airlines.
That sounds concerning, but in reality, it’s likely just bluster. If Qatar continues to get financial benefit from being in the alliance, it’s not going anywhere. That’s the same reason why American continues working with Etihad. If there’s money to be made, it doesn’t matter if it sounds hypocritical. Business is business.
United’s Quest to Be Less Awful – Bloomberg BusinessWeek
A good long look at United’s suckiness over the last few years. For those who have been following the industry closely, none of this will be surprising. But it’s still well worth clicking to see the Airplane!-esque headline image. Love it.
American Airlines and LATAM Airlines Group Announce Plans for a Joint Business – American Airlines Newsroom
American is looking to grow its joint business agreements again. This time its with LATAM in South America. The two work together already and provide a formidable presence between the US and Latin America. I’ll be curious to see if this gets challenged by the feds since the two have such a strong position. One thing to note – Argentina is missing from the list of countries covered by the joint business. That’s because Argentina’s government has been horribly protective of its national carrier. Without open skies, a joint venture won’t happen.
