I dont see why one route becomes more interesting because of who the airline is owned by? What difference would LH owning EI make to the BRS-DUB route?
Currently EI is unaffiliated with any global airline alliance, having dropped out of OneWorld. If they were bought by LH, they would undoubtedly join Star Alliance (similarly, if BA bought them, they would go back into OneWorld).
EI inside an alliance is a more interesting proposition because:
- It dramatically broadens the route network available, and the ease of booking across several airlines. It also increases BRS prominence in the global network. More people are likely to fly BRS-DUB as part of an Alliance connection.
- For the flier, it means we get recognition and benefits when flying on BRS-DUB-NYC/BOS/IAD etc. That can make quite a difference even on a short-haul leg - priority security, lounge, priority boarding, priority on standbys, priority on upgrades, mileage redemptions, mileage upgrades. It makes the difference when deciding between going to LHR and flying UA/US/CO (with benefits) and flying BRS-DUB-NYC without.