Star Alliance

Since its establishment in 1997, the group has grown to the extent that it now includes 27 of the most successful airlines worldwide. Star Alliance has learnt how to “act as a functioning system” of airlines in an exemplary way. What has been the key to success? It is a system based on collaboration that brings great benefits to the passengers of each airline and creates successful synergies between airline members, without any shareholding. This model enables passengers of one airline to have access to a global network of connections and a series of services. In addition, the synergies between airlines also bring real economic benefits with regard to, for example, ticket sales. Is being a member of the alliance of enormous value for airlines in terms of greater revenue and reduction in costs? Certainly. On the one hand, member airlines continue to work together on buying initiatives, fuel management strategies, fleet coordination, location and IT projects, which significantly help to reduce costs; on the other, they are able to offer customers a global network of connections and a series of services that are accessible all over the world. With a modern fleet of over 4,300 aircraft, Star Alliance offers 21,230 flights daily to 1,290 airports in 189 countries. The aircraft of Star Alliance member airlines land and take off every three seconds. Could you say that Star Alliance truly travels round the world? Star Alliance has a widespread network which serves destinations in some five continents and is able to simplify the organisation of trips for both business and leisure. With Star Alliance you can truly fly all over the world, and with the Book & Fly tool on the website, which is accessible from pc, smartphone or tablet, it’s even easier. From your home or wherever you are, 24 hours a day, you can create a travel itinerary or even buy a ticket. Round The World Fare tickets are available in Economy, Business and First classes and include 29,000, 34,000 and 39,000 miles. Another special fare is also available, the Economy Special Round The World Fare, for a maximum 26,000 miles travel. But Star Alliance also offers other special fares that are economical and aimed at individual travel needs, such as the 3 Circle Fares and 11 Regional Airpasses. Regular passengers of the various airlines have access to over 990 VIP Lounges throughout the world. How does this service work? The Lounges are one of the strong points of Star Alliance and one of the many benefits offered by us. Through these Lounges, we are able to offer a comfortable travelling experience in which you are taken care of from start to finish. All passengers on national and international flights who are travelling in First or Business class and Star Alliance Gold customers have free access to Star Alliance Lounges throughout the world. Alternatively, all Star Alliance customers can purchase an access card, independently of the ticket that they have purchased. The Lounges are organised with every comfort: television

areas, pc points, wireless access, a wide variety of food and drink and international newspapers and magazines. In the airports of Paris, London and Los Angeles, the Lounges even have play areas for children or private rooms. Using the Lounge Finder application on the website, you can identify the Lounges available in the various airports simply by entering the information on your flight into the search engine. Star Alliance Gold and Star Alliance Silver customers benefit from special services each time they travel with a Star Alliance airline. What are the benefits offered? Star Alliance Gold and Star Alliance Silver customers benefit from priority standby and waitlisting each time they travel with a Star Alliance airline. In addition, Star Alliance Gold customers can make us of over 990 lounges located throughout the world, priority baggage handling and an extra baggage allowance. In general, all Star Alliance customers can also benefit from special fares such as the Round the World, Circle Fares and Regional Airpasses, and can also use practical applications for their smartphones, such as the Navigator app, which provides updates on flights and details on the travel choices, and the FareFinder app, which allows them to consult air fares and have information on the flight desired. In addition, Star Alliance also offers multiple products to companies. Have you developed a “tailor-made” service for companies that ask for your support? Star Alliance offers 4 products specifically aimed at companies: Company Plus, for small and medium-sized businesses, Conventions Plus, which facilitates the organisation and participation in events and congresses of worldwide interest, Corporate Plus, which allows companies to have preferential fares with several airlines, and Meetings Plus, reserved to the organisers of meetings with a minimum of 50 participants from at least 3 different countries. A broad and varied offer to meet the specifications and real needs of companies. What is the future strategy of the airline alliance? What are Star Alliance’s goals? Star Alliance consists of 27 airlines serving 1,290 destinations, but it’s growth will not stop here: recently Ethiopian Airlines has become a member, which has allowed us to increase our presence in Africa, and in the future, Avianca-TACA, Copa Airlines and Shenzhen Airlines will also become members. Other will certainly follow over the next few years. Finally, could you reveal to Avion Luxury your dream of how you would like the future of the airport world and airlines to be? If you could go forward in time in a theoretical time machine, how would you imagine an airport or airline to be in 2050? It’s difficult to imagine what will happen in 2050, but certainly the situation will be very different and, I think, more experiential and ecofriendly. Certainly, plenty of attention will be paid to the creation of increasingly sophisticated and integrated technological systems that maximise efficient movements and the comfort of passengers.

A destra. Cairo, Egitto: un terminal inaugurato nel 2009 per ospitare i clienti dei vettori Star Alliance. In basso. La prestigiosa Royal First Lounge Thai all'interno del Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. Right. Cairo, Egypt: a terminal opened in 2009 to house Star Alliance carriers. Down. The Thai's prestigious Royal First Lounge inside Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. Per ulteriori informazioni/ For further information: staralliance.com