Air NZ Alliance Membership in Doubt
This article was published on the website this morning. Is this a smoke screen by Singapore Airlines?
Air NZ Alliance Membership Doubt
28/10/2002 08:53 AM - IRN
A hint Air New Zealand's days as a member of the Star Alliance network may be numbered.
Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines are both members of the grouping which gives access to routes they couldn't otherwise cover.
Singapore Airlines chief executive Cheong Choong Kong says if Qantas buys into Air New Zealand the New Zealand carrier will most likely have to exit the Star Alliance.
That would leave it without a local operator in either country and could push Singapore Airlines closer to entering the Australian domestic market.
Singapore Airlines posted a 474 percent profit increase, to about 800 million dollars, for the six months to September.
Intense negotiations continue between Air New Zealand and Qantas over a possible buy-in.
An update is expected at Air New Zealand's annual general meeting in Auckland tomorrow.
However aviation analysts are downplaying talk of an official announcement at that AGM.