LCC in a alliance?

[DG AIR]

In a thread on airliners.net was a rumour going about LCC getting into a alliance. U2 (Easyjet I think) was approached by AF/KL and by BA/IB.

Last week I was on a IATA course and there was at the end outside a same sort of discussion. Several people had heard the same rumours inside the aviation industry. FlyBe has at some routes a code share with AF.

Very interesting I would say. May be giving by the fact "if you can't beat them, work together or buy them".

What is the opinion or has somebody heard some similar rumours?

gr.

Ger

[phkza]

More than enough rumors.

Air Berlin is joining Oneworld of course, but they don't really qualify as an LCC anymore (at least, they want to be known as a regular airline, aiming at both leisure and business passengers).

Westjet is being targeted by both SkyTeam (there's an AF/KL connection) and also Star Alliance.

GOL should be considered too I think, since SkyTeam could really use a partner in South-America. Oneworld already has LAN, Star Alliance has TAM. And there's a big competition between AF/KL and BA/IB in that market, as we know.