Issues & Trends – December 2011/January 2012
SkyTeam to be promoted more aggressively
RAFAEL Despradel is undaunted by the relatively low profile that the SkyTeam airline alliance has in Australia compared to oneworld and Star Alliance.
Sydney-based Despradel, who combines the twin responsibilities of regional sales and marketing manager for Korean Air and SkyTeam co-ordinator Australia, is supremely confident that SkyTeam has a good story to tell and that this will be increasingly recognised both within the Australian travel industry and among the travelling public.
While the smaller oneworld alliance has strong recognition here, because of the membership of national flag carrier Qantas, Despradel said the success of Star demonstrates “an airline alliance doesn’t need a home carrier to deliver value to Australian travellers”.
Next year, he said, SkyTeam will become “more visible on the consumer side” although he is keeping the details under wraps at this stage.
He will be helped by SkyTeam’s greater visibility in this marketplace thanks to new members signing up for the alliance.
With China Airlines joining the alliance in September, SkyTeam now has six member carriers online to Australia. The others are China Eastern, China Southern, Delta, Vietnam Airlines and, of course, Despradel’s own airline Korean Air.
And next year Aerolineas Argentinas and Garuda Indonesia are scheduled to come on board, bringing to eight the number of SkyTeam carriers flying their own “metal” to Australia.
Aerolineas’ pending membership of the alliance not only represents the latest step in that carrier’s rehabilitation since its 2009 takeover by the Argentine Government (travelBulletin, September), it also boosts SkyTeam’s global reach by giving it a foothold in South America. In addition to the gathering strength of its online repre-sentation in this country, SkyTeam gains considerable additional clout in this marketplace by virtue of off-line members notably including Air France and KLM.
This off-line power will increase – and provide SkyTeam with a powerful Middle East presence – in 2012 when Saudi Arabian Airlines and Middle Eastern Airlines are scheduled to join the alliance.
With Taiwan-based China Airlines joining the mainland Chinese airlines, China Eastern and China Southern, Despradel points out that SkyTeam has an unrivalled presence in this powerhouse of global growth.
Meanwhile, Despradel is also pleased with Korean Air’s growth in the Australian market. One of the few legacy carriers in the world flying its own metal to all six continents, Korean Air offers daily morning B747 services plus three evening B777 departures out of Sydney supplemented by five A330 flights a week ex Brisbane and three a week ex Melbourne.
Passengers flying on to London (Heathrow) arrive there mid-after-noon. And from April 28, they will have the option to fly to London Gatwick on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays enabling same day arrival in the UK. (Emirates is the only other airline to offer this in Australia.)
Despradel says one of the key factors assisting the carrier’s market penetration here is the attractiveness of Seoul’s Inchon airport as a hub. “It’s one of the top three airports in the world,” he said. “It’s all under one roof, there are complimentary tours available from the airport, free food and drinks, everyone has access to showers and there is a hotel inside the airport.
“And as for shopping, it’s the only airport in the world with a Louis Vuitton shop inside the airport.”
He also cites the fact that there is only a two hour time difference between Australia and Korea and points to the even break of the journey to Europe via Seoul into two 10 hour sectors (rather than the roughly 14 hour – six hour split flying over a Middle Eastern hub).
He says Korean Air also offers a viable alternative for travel to the North American east coast destinations Toronto and New York.
Flying over Seoul adds about six hours to the journey time compared with flying via the US west coast but, says Despradel, passengers experience premium service all the way rather than having to take a US transcontinental “bus service”.
Another burgeoning market for the Korean carrier in Australia comprises Australians taking winter sport holidays in Japan. “It’s easier to fly from Seoul to major Japanese ski resorts,” said Despradel.