SkyTeam  | | Launch date | 22 June 2000 | | Full members | 9 | | Non-voting members | 2 | | Pending members | 3 | | Destination airports | 905 | | Destination countries | 169 | | Annual passengers (M) | 462 (Total Frequent Flyer Members = 152) | | Fleet size | 2,971 (member airlines and their susidiaries), (+1,255 from related carriers) | | Management | Leo van Wijk (Chairman) | | Alliance slogan | Caring more about you | | Headquarters | Amsterdam, the Netherlands | | Website | www.SkyTeam.com | SkyTeam is the second largest airline alliance in the world – behind Star Alliance and ahead of oneworld – partnering twelve carriers from four continents. The company slogan is "Caring more about you." SkyTeam also operates a cargo alliance called SkyTeam Cargo. When the merger of Northwest Airlines with Delta Air Lines is complete, SkyTeam will consist of 9 full members (and 2 associate members) because Continental Airlines and Copa Airlines both departed SkyTeam on 24 October 2009 (Continental Airlines joined Star Alliance on October 27). However, the joining of Vietnam Airlines in early 2010 will bring the total number of full member airlines in the alliance back up to 10. The alliance's centralised management team, called SkyTeam Central, formed in 2009, is based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.[1] [edit] Membership history - 2000 — Aeroméxico, Air France, Delta Air Lines, and Korean Air launched the SkyTeam alliance on 22 June.
- 2001 — CSA Czech Airlines (in March) and Alitalia (on 27 July) joined.
- 2004 — Continental Airlines, KLM and Northwest Airlines joined on 13 September. Their simultaneous entry was the largest expansion event in airline alliance history. As a result of the three new members, SkyTeam passed Oneworld to become the second largest alliance.
- 2005 — Even though member CSA pledged to help Malév Hungarian Airlines become an associate member of the alliance (as opposed to a full member, an associate has no voting rights), Malév opted to join the Oneworld alliance, signing a Memorandum Of Understanding late in May. A few days later SkyTeam announced four new associate members due to join by 2006, each one being "sponsored" by an existing member: Madrid-based Air Europa (sponsored by Air France), Panama-based Copa Airlines (sponsored and partly owned by Continental Airlines), Kenya Airways (sponsored and partly owned by KLM) and Romania's Tarom (sponsored by Alitalia). Every associate adopted a frequent flyer program of a full member: Copa Airlines already used Continental's OnePass while Kenya Airways and Air Europa used Air France-KLM's Flying Blue.
- 2006 — Aeroflot joined on 14 April. Middle East Airlines was invited to become an associate member.[2]
- 2007 — Air Europa, Copa Airlines, Kenya Airways became associate members of the alliance on 1 September. China Southern Airlines joined SkyTeam on November 15 to become the 11th full member and the first carrier from Mainland China to join SkyTeam.[3]
- 2008 - Continental Airlines and Copa Airlines have announced their intentions to move to the Star Alliance after Continental's final flight on 24 October 2009.[4][5]
- 2009 - Vietnam Airlines is invited to join in April[6] On October 24, Continental Airlines and Copa Airlines left Skyteam.[4]
[edit] Member airlines [edit] Full members and their member & non-member affiliates A Founding member [edit] Associate member airlines [edit] Former Member Airlines B Left the alliance to join Star Alliance with United Airlines. C Renamed into Aeromexico Connect in November 2007. [edit] Future Member Airlines [edit] Future Associate member airlines [edit] Potential future Associate member airlines [edit] Possible future full members - Note that there is much speculation about non-aligned airlines joining one of the global alliances. The list below includes airlines that have expressed their desire or are in ongoing negotiations to join SkyTeam.
 Air Algérie - In 2006, Air Algérie applied for admission to the alliance; its application has been sponsored by Air France. Air Algérie has been on the waiting list for membership since 2005 and plans to join the alliance in 2009-2010. SkyTeam hopes to integrate Air Algérie into the alliance and begin the use of electronic ticketing and launch a frequent flyer program for the airline named Air Algérie Plus. The SkyTeam also anticipates the purchase of new aircraft by Air Algérie.[11] Air Tahiti Nui considers joining SkyTeam after reviewing options with other alliances which all are well established in the South Pacific [12] Alaska Airlines - In 2008 Alaska Airlines started a Marketing Alliance with Delta Air Lines. (Alaska Airlines also has partnerships with Air France-KLM and Korean Air, but also has partnerships with Oneworld members American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, LAN Airlines and Qantas.) China Airlines - China Airlines already has extensive codeshare agreements with Delta Air Lines, Korean Air, Northwest Airlines, Czech Airlines, and Alitalia, and their vice president has also announced an intention to apply for membership by 2008.[13] They are set to be announced as the next full member of SkyTeam in late 2008 and have been in informal discussions since Fall 2007.[14]. In June 2008 the carrier have signed memorandum of co-operation with China Southern Airlines in the areas of passenger, cargo, maintenance, and ground handling operations [15] China Eastern Airlines - Air France, along with China Southern[16] are lobbying at China Eastern Airlines to join the alliance, but the airline is also considering joining oneworld as they have codeshare agreements with American Airlines, British Airways, Japan Airlines and Qantas.[17][18] The Chinese government considered a merger Shanghai Airlines, which is a member of Star Alliance, in which it was successful.[19] - Shanghai Airlines - Shanghai Airlines may leave Star Alliance after merger with China Eastern Airlines.[20]
 Garuda Indonesia - In June 2008, Garuda Indonesia has signed a memorandum of cooperation with Korean Air, in which Korean Air will support Garuda in joining SkyTeam.The airline aims to join SkyTeam in 2011. [21][22][23] Gol Airlines - SkyTeam is continuing to pursue its plans to add a Brazilian carrier in the alliance. It "has been talking with Gol in Brazil", says van Wijk. Gol is also the owner of Varig.[24] Air France and Gol Airlines are planning codeshare flights (at this moment, passengers flying either Air France/KLM or Gol/Varig are able to credit flight mileage to each others Frequent Flyer Program).[25] Japan Airlines- Delta Air Lines and the SkyTeam are pursuing Japan Airlines and asking the airline to switch from the Oneworld alliance to SkyTeam. Japan Airlines has recently been looking for financial backing and the SkyTeam has offered $500 million in capital investment, $300 million in short-term revenue guarantees, and $200 million in asset-backed financing for Japan Airlines.[26] Jet Airways - Leo van Wijk stated in a statement that SkyTeam is looking to add an Indian carrier in the near future counting on Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines.[24] Unfortunately, Oneworld airlines have the majority of codeshares (particularly American Airlines); they are in discussion of a possible membership to SkyTeam in June 2009.[citation needed]- Kingfisher Airlines - Is in informal discussions to join the alliance. Currently Northwest Airlines (part of Delta Air Lines) have partnership agreements with its frequent flyer program.[27] Oneworld is also discussing about a possible membership to that alliance besides Jet Airways.
 Malaysia Airlines - Malaysia Airlines reached an agreement with Air France-KLM to upgrade their codeshare agreements into an alliance in 2006. While there is no timetable for Malaysia Airlines to join SkyTeam, their restructuring plan puts 2009-2010 as the target years.[28] Malaysia Airlines also reached an agreement with Alitalia and China Southern Airlines, SkyTeam members, to start code-sharing in 2007.[29] Olympic Air - In a press conference on 17 September 2009, MIG president Andreas Vgenopoulos, announced new code share deals, and stated that Olympic Air also has plans to join Skyteam in the future.[30][31] [edit] Potential future associate members  Bangkok Airways - SkyTeam has been speaking with Bangkok Airways of Thailand about a possible affiliate membership.[32] Aviacsa - Aviacsa may join as an Associate member, but not if the Airline was Grounded. [edit] SkyTeam member hubs [edit] Co-locations [edit] America (except USA) [edit] Europe - Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport: Landside - Terminal South except for KLM and Korean Air in Terminal North. Airside - Concourses T (International), A, B, C, D, E
- Chicago O'Hare International Airport: Terminal 2 (Northwest, Delta moves to Terminal 2 in November 2009), Terminal 3 Concourse L (Delta [moves to Terminal 2 in November 2009]) International Terminal 5 (Aeromexico, Air France, Alitalia, KLM, Korean Air)
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport: Terminal 3
- Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport: Terminal D (KLM & Korean Air), Terminal E (Delta, Northwest)
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport: McNamara Terminal
- Los Angeles International Airport: Terminal 2 (Air France-KLM), Tom Bradley International Terminal (Aeroflot, China Southern, Korean Air), Terminal 5 (Delta, Northwest, Aeromexico), Terminal 6 (Delta)
- New York Newark Liberty International Airport: Terminal B houses Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, Air France and Alitalia.
- New York John F. Kennedy International Airport: Terminals 1, 2, 3, 4
- New York LaGuardia Airport: Delta/Northwest Terminal and Marine Air Terminal (Delta Airlines shuttle flights to Boston, Chicago, and Washington)
- San Francisco International Airport: International Terminal Boarding Area A (International members), Terminal 1 Boarding Areas B & C (Northwest and Delta)
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport: South Satellite Terminal.
[edit] Premium status SkyTeam has two premium levels, Elite and Elite Plus, based on a customer's tier status in a member carrier's frequent flyer program. Each of the member and associate airlines recognises the elite statuses, with a few exceptions. The statuses have no specific requirements of their own; membership is based solely on the frequent flyer programs of individual member airlines. [edit] SkyTeam Elite SkyTeam Elite status is awarded to customers who have reached the premium level of a member carrier's frequent flyer program. Benefits of SkyTeam Elite membership: - Priority reservations waitlisting
- Priority airport standby
- Priority boarding
- Priority check-in
- Preferred seating
Membership tiers granting SkyTeam Elite: Note1: Prior to its merger with Delta, Northwest's frequent flyer program was known as WorldPerks. It was merged into Delta SkyMiles on October 1, 2009 as part of the merger between the 2 airlines. [edit] SkyTeam Elite Plus SkyTeam Elite Plus status is awarded to customers who have reached the higher premium level of a member carrier's frequent flyer program. Benefits of SkyTeam Elite Plus membership: - Priority reservations waitlisting
- Priority airport standby
- Priority boarding
- Priority airport check-in
- Preferred seating
- Priority baggage handling
- Additional checked luggage allowance
- Airport lounge access
- Guaranteed reservations on sold-out flights
- Express airport security (in some hub airports)
Membership tiers granting SkyTeam Elite Plus: Note1: Prior to its merger with Delta, Northwest's frequent flier program was known as WorldPerks. It merged into Delta's SkyMiles on October 1, 2009 as part of the two carriers' merger. [edit] SkyTeam Special Livery SkyTeam launched recently a special livery celebrating its ten year anniversary. [edit] Current [edit] References [edit] External links | Links to related articles | | | Delta Air Lines | | | Alliance | SkyTeam | | | Components | | | | Airline brands | | | | Destinations | | | | Fleet | | | | History | | | | Other subsidiaries | | | Former subsidiaries
and airline brands | | | | | |
