Jet Airways cut ties with 4 Star Alliance Members

In March 2017, Jet Airways extended codeshare with Delta Airways as with KLM and providing reciprocal benefits with them. 

A few months later there are rumors running that Jet Airways is trying to be bought by Delta Airways (which I think is long order as Etihad already has 24% stake and they would have to agree for the sale which I don’t think they would want to do unless they want to remove their investment in Jet Airways)

To add mortar to the bricks, they added Vinay Dubey as CEO of Jet Airways on May 30, 2017 who is coming from, you guessed it, Delta Airways, making the bonds with Delta even stronger. There was no CEO since 2016 when Cramer Ball was let go thanks to Etihad getting stakes in Jet Airways and them acting as CEO till now. 

What are changes since Mr. Vinay Dubey took over as CEO?

1. Jet Airways Web Check-In rules have changed

2. Increased Co-Operation with Delta and Air France/KLM.

Now the latest effect which is out there is that Jet Airways has cut ties with 5 Airlines out of which 4 of them were Star Alliance member.

Jet Airways has informed Jet Privilege members that they’re cutting ties with American, Austrian, Lufthansa, Swiss, and Turkish. Specifically, here are the dates as of which partnerships are ending:

• Austrian — September 30, 2017
• Swiss — September 30, 2017
• Turkish — October 31, 2017
• Lufthansa — December 31, 2017
• American Airlines – December 31, 2017
   

  

  So it’s no surprise that Jet Airways cut ties with American, or perhaps more accurately, that Delta forced asked Jet Airways to cut ties with American.

  Well, it looks like there are more partnership cuts coming for Jet Airways, and they’re pretty telling. Jet Airways has informed Jet Privilege members that they’re also cutting ties with Austrian, Lufthansa, Swiss, and Turkish. Specifically, here are the dates as of which partnerships are ending:

  • Austrian — September 30, 2017
  • Swiss — September 30, 2017
  • Turkish — October 31, 2017
  • Lufthansa — December 31, 2017

  

  You can find a full list of Jet Airways’ airline partners here. It’s interesting to see Jet Airways cutting ties with the Lufthansa Group airlines, American Airlines, and also with Turkish. 

  American Airlines absolutely makes sense as Jet Airways is trying to reach a deeper partnership with Delta and thus making American completely redundant.

  Keep in mind that Jet Airways also has expanded cooperation with KLM in Amsterdam, so presumably, they’re choosing to pursue that in lieu of continuing their relationship with Lufthansa.

  While I don’t think this is imminent, one has to wonder if the end game here is that Jet Airways will eventually SkyTeam. Air India joined Star Alliance a few years ago, and with Jet Airways expanding their cooperation with a couple of SkyTeam carriers, it seems like that’s a possibility, and it could be a win-win.