Certain Air France fliers can't earn Delta miles, though both are in the same alliance.The Wall Street Journal
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Airlines pitch their global alliances as seamless networks, yet there are so many hitches that consumers may want to shop around.
Alliances have existed for more than a decade as airlines have sought to market themselves jointly. But the companies have found that splicing together computer systems and competitive instincts has been difficult and is still evolving. As a result, perks and policies vary among each of the three big alliances—Star, oneworld and SkyTeam.
"There are still really deep pockets of incompatibility. It's not always what it's cracked up to be," said Randy Petersen, publisher of frequent-flier magazines and founder of the website FlyerTalk.com.
