• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Home » Avianca » My Thoughts on Avianca-TACA and Copa Joining Star Alliance
AviancaOneWorldSkyTeamStar AllianceTACA

My Thoughts on Avianca-TACA and Copa Joining Star Alliance

Matthew Klint Posted onNovember 10, 2010December 13, 2016 3 Comments

As Fozz reported, in a ceremony in Miami earlier today, Star Alliance announced that Avianca-TACA and Copa will join Star Alliance by mid-2012.

Avianca and TACA merged last year, though the two airlines still operate separately and are not formally affiliated with an alliance. Currently, TACA partners with United and Avianca with Delta. Copa still partners with Continental and is currently not affiliated with an alliance, having left SkyTeam with CO last fall.

The combined network of the two airline groups gives Star Alliance a greater presence in Central America, the Caribbean, and the northern and western regions of South America. New Star Alliance hubs will include Copa Airlines hubs in Panama City and Bogota and  Avianca-TACA hubs in Bogota, San Salvador, Lima, and San Jose, Costa Rica.

Although Star’s latest additions serve primarily Central America and northern South America, they do have links to southern South America, suggesting that TAM Brazilian Airlines may be leaving Star once the “LATAM” integration with LAN is complete.

But it would be unwise to conclude based on today’s news that TAM is on its way out. On the contrary, Star emphasized TAM in its press release today, stating, “Further network expansion and improved connectivity to, from and within South America was made possible by the joining of TAM Airlines in May.” Again, we have to question why TAM would join Star Alliance earlier this year if it was in the middle of negotiations to merge with LAN. While OneWorld will no doubt fight harder than we’ve ever seen them fight to woo LATAM to their alliance, today’s news might give LATAM an incentive to choose Star instead. With the addition of two airline groups that serve North/Central/South America, Star Alliance arguably has much more to offer LATAM customers than OneWorld does.

 

Avianca-TACA and Copa Airlines will bring 46 new destinations to the Star Alliance network. Perhaps most noteworthy for us in North America, Miami will become a major Star Alliance hub. This is great news for Star flyers.

Not to end on a sour note, but it merits mentioning that in terms of premium hard product, both Avianca-TACA and Copa have a long way to go. I flew Avianca in economy last year and TACA earlier this year. Both trips were great–their economy product is stellar. But walking past business class to my seat in the back was like walking back in time 15 years. No pods or even angled-lie flat seats on any of the three carriers. While an updated business class cabin should not be a prerequisite to join the alliance (that would bar EgyptAir [among others] from joining), I do hope that the airlines are serious about their commitment to update their premium seats. The business class seats on Avianca’s brand new A330s look nice, but even they are not lie-flat.

Get Daily Updates

Join our mailing list for a daily summary of posts! We never sell your info.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Previous Article $25 Gift from American Express for Supporting Small Business
Next Article United, Continental Pilots Butting Heads Over Seniority

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

Related Posts

  • oneworld lounge Amsterdam review

    Review: oneworld Lounge Amsterdam (AMS)

    June 21, 2025
  • Qantas Lounge Review Hong Kong

    Review: Qantas Lounge Hong Kong (HKG)

    June 14, 2025
  • Star Alliance Lounge Paris Review

    Review: Star Alliance Lounge Paris (CDG)

    April 25, 2025

3 Comments

  1. Matthew Reply
    November 10, 2010 at 8:34 pm

    BTW, Thanks to Joe for bringing this story to my attention.

  2. Mendal Reply
    November 11, 2010 at 2:38 am

    Oh my God when you read something in the newspaper and post it in a blog you are reporting?

  3. Matthew Reply
    November 11, 2010 at 3:47 pm

    @Mendal:

    Reporing: the presentment of focused, salient content to a specific audience.

Leave a Reply to Matthew Cancel reply

Search

Hot Deals for July

Note: Please see my Advertiser Disclosure

Capital One Venture X Business Card
Earn 150,000 Miles Sign Up Bonus
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 100,000 Points
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles!
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles
Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Earn $750 Cash Back
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Earn 120,000 Membership Reward® Points

Recent Posts

  • Eiffel Tower
    Eiffel Tower: A Tourist Trap You Must Climb At Least Once July 14, 2025
  • Air India Flight 171 Pilots
    Air India Flight 171: Profiles Of The Pilots Involved In 787 Crash July 14, 2025
  • Boeing 787 fuel cutoff switch
    FAA Defends Boeing 787 Fuel Cutoff Switch Design After Air India Crash July 14, 2025
  • jsx best US domestic airline 2025
    Travel + Leisure Names JSX Best Airline In US, But Should It Be? July 13, 2025

Categories

Popular Posts

  • Favorite Airline Commercials
    My 10 Favorite Airline Commercials June 15, 2025
  • a blue passport on a black surface
    All The Patriotic Quotes In Your U.S. Passport July 4, 2025
  • a row of seats in an airplane
    If You Abuse Company Travel Policy, Expect To Be Fired! June 16, 2025
  • a lobby with a marble counter and a wood ceiling
    Review: Korean Air KAL Business Lounge Los Angeles (LAX) July 1, 2025

Archives

July 2025
M T W T F S S
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031  
« Jun    

As seen on:

facebook twitter instagram rss
Privacy Policy © Live and Let's Fly All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Live and Let's Fly with appropriate and specific directions to the original content.