LATEST: Why airline alliances are good for fliers

The Star Alliance’s 15th birthday this month reminds me that a global airline alliance is one of the most fascinating concepts in the history of commercial aviation. It’s also an example of the airline industry’s creative thinking aimed at increasing revenues. However, unlike some questionable practices, this one has dramatically improved the customer experience…


BROWSE COLUMNS BY DATE

2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008

APR 30: American tries to entice top United fliers

APR 17: Rare airport luxury, almost wasted

MAR 27: Diplomats decry new United pet policy

MAR 07: Did United choose the best rez system?

FEB 15: Round the world in a week, without pain

JAN 17: Rethinking government air travel costs

JAN 09: DOT keeps false ‘each-way’ airfare ads

2011

DEC 20: Fighting airlines’ attempts to overcharge

DEC 14: FareCompare guts airfare search tools

DEC 07: Airlines still think customers are stupid

NOV 22: Questioning conventional airfare wisdom

NOV 11: India tries to blackmail Star Alliance

NOV 02: Carriers lose appetite for Tokyo Haneda

OCT 26: Airlines neglect non-flying experience

OCT 18: U.S. fares now filed four times a day

OCT 05: The benefits of non-airline credit cards

SEP 19: Consider options before giving up airline seat

SEP 14: How much slack do the airlines deserve?

SEP 06: Is the travel-agency model sustainable?

AUG 23: Is media coverage of air travel helpful?

AUG 08: Air India had no chance with Star Alliance

AUG 02: United steps up fake ‘direct’ flights

JUL 26: 17 hours of tax-free airline tickets

JUL 13: ExpertFlyer boosts airfare transparency

JUL 05: British Air, Iberia’s dysfunctional merger

JUN 21: My book ‘Decoding Air Travel’ is out

JUN 08: DOT cracks down on airfare advertising

MAY 25: Should airline booking codes be secret?

MAY 18: British Air loses bags on $12,000 ticket

MAY 04: American’s antiquated ticketing process

APR 27: Airlines, want better GDS model? Unite!

APR 19: Singapore Air’s inept agents, dark side

APR 14: What are your hotel pet peeves?

APR 07: American wins first battle in data war

MAR 30: Proper airfare advertising comes to U.S.

MAR 23: Hilton tries hard to lose my business

MAR 16: Kralev International launches website

FEB 24: Delta SkyMiles needs new leadership

FEB 14: US Airways denies StarNet blocking

FEB 10: GDS travel-booking model faces change

FEB 01: Wyndham today, Sheraton tomorrow

JAN 12: The risks of third-party airline bookings

JAN 04: When airfares jump on you for no reason