UALFAson From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 582 posts, RR: 4 Reply 1, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 2253 times:
Are you referring to the current *A scheme--white fuselage with "Star Alliance" wide across the body with the airline's logo beneath?
I like it better than the 2nd (?) scheme--with all the small, square postage stamp-style logos, but not as much as the original with the 5/6 mini fuselages.
The point is simply to advertise the Star Alliance. If people see the planes and don't know what the *A is, they'll hopefully be tempted to find out. Those who do know will be reminded about the benefits of flying *A carriers.
The cost of re-painting a few planes is negligible compared to the free advertising. IMHO, the fully painted planes actually make more sense than the tiny little alliance logos they all put next to the doors of planes. Who can see those and who really thinks about it if they do?
It's just another way to generate excitement and advertise the product.
"We hope you've enjoyed flying with us as much as we've enjoyed taking you for a ride."
Tu154m From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 667 posts, RR: 6 Reply 2, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 2181 times:
That scheme is HORRID!!!!!!!! Bland, bland, bland. You would thing they could come up with something better for the fuselage between their 4 million members. Maybe when Star encompasses all airlines we will see something worth looking at.
S
TG992 From New Zealand, joined Jan 2001, 2910 posts, RR: 11 Reply 3, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 2087 times:
All Star airlines will have it, eventually. I believe the original agreement was that 2% of each airlines' fleet will be painted in the livery, but I'm not sure if that's still the case.
As for why they have it - to raise brand awareness. An effective and relatively low-cost way of doing so.
Tsully From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 651 posts, RR: 5 Reply 4, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 2068 times:
As far as I know, each member airline must only paint 1 plane (of their choosing) in the STAR paint scheme.
I love America. I guess that makes me Bush's poodle, but I'd rather be a dog in New York City than a prince in Riyadh.
Antares From Australia, joined Jun 2004, 1402 posts, RR: 41 Reply 5, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 2041 times:
Who said it helped brand awareness. What brand.
Star from the point of view of a traveller is the greatest cock-up. They don't keep your favourite seat if you change planes, if you go to Kansai they have this racist nonsense of having a lounge for non-Japanese passengers 'so they will feel more comfortable' . It is downright insulting.
There is absolutely nothing seamless about transfering from an SQ flight to LH more like being downgraded. Ditto going from LH to UA. There is no unformity of AVOD. Star means zip to passengers now that you can't check your bags through because of security at some airports, and if you can't work out your own connections and actually navigate your way around an airport to catch another flight with Star sort of hand holding you shouldn't be allowed to travel anyhow.
And apart from that I can still get Qantas points flying SAS and I think this will be the case on code shares with Asiana although I'm not sure.
SafetyDude From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 3795 posts, RR: 16 Reply 6, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 2040 times:
I think that the scheme varies per aircraft, but in general, I like it. It really promotes the idea of the alliance, and I must say, I have more "respect" for it than One World and Skyteam.
Su From Russia, joined Apr 2004, 360 posts, RR: 2 Reply 7, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 1920 times:
Not a big fun of the new *A scheme either. Advertising sounds good but I think they could have done it much better way then just painting the planes in black and white.
Antares,
The benefit of flying with Star Alliance members are much much greater then being changed from SQ to LH and from LH to UA and not being able to go to Kansai's lounge with Japanese (which btw sounds a great idea of separate lounge)
1. Great Integrated Frequent Fliers programs.
2. Codesharing flights give you much more opportunities to get more effective and cheaper and better direct and connecting flights.
3. Use of Lounges in different airports (even when you are flying economy and have a priority FF card of a *A member)
4. Priority svs.
5. Star Around the world tickets.
SafetyDude From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 3795 posts, RR: 16 Reply 8, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 23 hours ago) and read 1840 times:
Not a big fun of the new *A scheme either. Advertising sounds good but I think they could have done it much better way then just painting the planes in black and white.
Most of the changes that you suggested would be very hard for all of the carriers to adapt to, and some would certainly have issues. Painted planes (there are other schemes than the black and white) to passengers show a lot of dedication, not to mention it is rather cheap advertising.
Antares From Australia, joined Jun 2004, 1402 posts, RR: 41 Reply 9, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 16 hours ago) and read 1736 times:
Dear Su,
Let me tell you a big shocking secret. The integrated frequent flier schemes have in fact started to disintegrate because certain Star members are refusing to honour redemptions on certain others (go on guess which big American) becasuse they are so broke they either arne't paying the inter-carrier fees that have to change hands, typically a few hundred dollars for say turning UA points to an SQ ticket between Sydney and London, or they are being SO DAMN SLOW at doing it the redemptions are impossible.
Also as a person who pays for his own economy and business class tickets (and those of a few other people as well) the atrocious variation in quality among Star and oneworld carriers makes a mockery of their claims to be an association of excellence.
I get really peeved about advertising lies, and Star is one big con job.
If I've paid for my tickets I don't give a toss about priority this or priority that, because I'm a customer and if they don't give me what I paid for I go for them one way or another. Usually by persuading groups of old buggers like myself not to fly on the offending carriers.
Incidentally in Australia last time I looked the best RTW tickets were constructions made by suburban agents using consolidated coupons on both Star and oneworld carriers and for about $1000 less than on the net using Star only. Who the hell does Star think it is kidding?
Spacecadet From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 3255 posts, RR: 14 Reply 10, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 16 hours ago) and read 1709 times:
I get really peeved about advertising lies, and Star is one big con job.
I agree completely, especially about the frequent flier miles. Biggest peeve of mine is that each airline still uses their own rules for frequent flier miles, so while my ANA miles expire after one year, they wouldn't on some other Star Alliance airlines. Of course, I didn't realize this until I had a whole bunch of miles expire on me last year.
The whole alliance seems completely pointless from a consumer standpoint. There is no advantage to it and in my case, at least, it caused confusion that led to me losing a lot of my miles unnecessarily. Code-sharing flights are the bane of a lot of customers too so I don't see this as the "advantage" that some others do (if I make a reservation on ANA, it's because I want to fly on ANA, not United or anyone else).
Obviously the alliance makes sense from a business standpoint to the airlines. So fine then, have this alliance and keep it to yourself. It really has nothing to do with the customer, but by promoting the fact that all of these airlines are in the same organization you imply that they all follow the same rules, all provide the same level of service, etc. and it's simply not true. It's a scam as far as the consumer is concerned.
Painting planes in the livery may be inexpensive advertising but I agree with others who say "advertising for what?" Consumers do not care about this "brand", they care about the actual airline they're flying on (if they care about anything; some don't even care about that). And I do think the livery is ugly as sin - completely generic and unflattering.
I'm tired of being a wanna-be league bowler. I wanna be a league bowler!
SafetyDude From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 3795 posts, RR: 16 Reply 11, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 15 hours ago) and read 1667 times:
so while my ANA miles expire after one year
One year? With most American carriers, as long as you have activity have three years, your miles stay - not to mention AS and NW whose miles never expire.
Being rather young, one of the most common comments I get from all sorts of people is to find a FFP whose miles never expire.
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