SkyTeam NewsFlash – November 2006
SkyTeam, the global airline alliance partnering Aeroflot, Aeroméxico, Air France, Alitalia, Continental Airlines, CSA, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Korean Air and Northwest Airlines, sets itself apart by offering an exclusive experience for all passengers. Issued monthly, SkyTeam NewsFlash provides media with key updates on alliance activities. Please read on for this month’s SkyTeam news.
SkyTeam spotlight on winter 2006/07 – As the winter season approaches, SkyTeam has aligned itself to serve growing international travel demand with more frequencies and more flights to new, popular destinations. For example, Air France and KLM have expanded capacity to long-haul destinations, particularly to Latin America (up 9.5 percent) and Asia (up 6.1 percent), and have increased frequencies in Eastern Europe. Overall, SkyTeam offers 11 new destinations for business and leisure travel this winter season.
Business Travelers
The 2005 IATA Travel Forecast indicates that international air traffic will increase in Central Europe by 2009. With member CSA, SkyTeam provides extensive connectivity to the increasing number of travelers looking to access the region. SkyTeam is also strengthening its network in Eastern Europe. Passengers can now reach locations in the Russian Federation via new member Aeroflot, such as Magadan, center for mining activities in the Kolyma River basin and oil-rich Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
According to the IATA survey, China is expected to experience the second greatest rate of growth in international traffic. With the Asia region continuing to show consistent aviation growth, SkyTeam has added three Chinese seaports, serviced by Korean Air, to the destination line-up this season: Shenzhen, a hub of foreign investment benefiting from more than $30 billion over the last two decades; Weihai; and Dalian, which serves as the marine gateway of northeast China. Changsha, Hunan Province, is now also being serviced, bringing the SkyTeam network in China to 24 destinations. With the expected addition of China Southern in 2007, SkyTeam will further expand its Asia network with additional destinations.
Leisure Travelers
This season, SkyTeam now serves additional vacation destinations. In the United States, SkyTeam member Delta Air Lines has expanded its network to include service to three Colorado airports: Montrose/Telluride, Steamboat Springs/Hayden, and Eagle/Vail. These mountainous destinations are ideal for travelers seeking to ride the slopes. For travelers who want to escape the winter weather, Delta serves 45 destinations in the Caribbean, Latin America, Mexico, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Across the globe, SkyTeam carriers are expanding their networks to better serve alliance passengers this winter season.
For more information on SkyTeam’s worldwide network, please visit www.skyteam.com.
SkyTeam sponsors World Business Forum – Recently SkyTeam sponsored the World Business Forum (WBF), held October 24 in Frankfurt, Germany. Event attendees heard from Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of the city of New York, Malcolm Gladwell, author of “The Tipping Point,” and Helmut Kohl, former Chancellor of Germany. SkyTeam also hosted a luncheon, for which key representatives – including Frank Thiebaut, vice president alliance marketing, Air France; and Beverly Meeks, general manager, Delta Air Lines – were on hand. Frank Jahangir, director – sales and affairs for Europe, Middle East and Africa of Delta Air Lines highlighted SkyTeam’s offerings for business travelers around the world while introducing Rudy Giuliani who spoke about the need for crisis management training.
