Press Releases 2004

Star Alliance launches Thailand Airpass
Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth™, today announced the introduction of the Thailand Airpass providing exceptional value to customers who wish to explore this southeast Asian nation.

The Star Alliance Network launches global interline e-ticket
Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth™, today announced the launch of its global interline e-ticket product. Following an extensive testing schedule, interline e-ticket is now being rolled out across the member carriers.

Star Alliance wins 2004 Direct Marketing Association Grand Prix Award
Alliance, the airline network for Earth™, and its Creative and Advertising agency Harrison Troughton Wunderman (HTW) were honoured at the 2004 Direct Marketing Association (DMA) Awards garnering the coveted Grand Prix Award for its UK Status Match promotion which supported the alliance’s UK Enhanced Elite Benefits Programme.

Star Alliance goes interactive with Conventions Plus
Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth™, today launched an enhanced version of its Conventions Plus Website at the EIBTM trade fair, the premier international event dedicated to the global meetings and incentive industry, attracting 5,000 industry buyers and 2,000 exhibitors from over 100 countries.

Star Alliance represented at the EIBTM Trade Fair in Barcelona, Spain
Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth™, will be present with its own stand at the EIBTM trade fair being held in Barcelona, Spain, from November 30th, 2004 – December 2nd, 2004.
The EIBTM is the premier international event dedicated to the global meetings and incentive industry, attracting 5,000 industry buyers and 2,000 exhibitors from over 100 countries.

Star Alliance launches new scheme to reward UK and Ireland small and medium enterprises
Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth™, has today launched an online loyalty programme, Star Alliance Company Plus, aimed at small and medium enterprises (SME’s) in the UK and Ireland. It is the first time a major global airline alliance has operated such a scheme in these markets.

Adria Airways and Croatia Airlines will join Star Alliance as regional members on December 15, 2004
At a ceremony held in Frankfurt, Germany today, both Adria Airways and Croatia Airlines signed contracts which will see both carriers become regional members of the Star Alliance network as of December 15, 2004.

Star Alliance announces corporate travel deal with ChevronTexaco
Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth™, has signed a five-year corporate travel agreement with Chevron USA, Inc., a unit of ChevronTexaco Corp. that will help the multinational company improve the efficiency of its travel management and substantially reduce its annual travel bill.

Blue1 launched as first Star Alliance regional member
Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth™, today announced that Finnish airline Blue1 has joined as the first regional member of the world’s leading alliance.

Win a trip to Japan on the Star Alliance network
Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth™, today announced that premium class customers travelling on the Star Alliance network during the month of November could win a holiday for two to discover the hidden treasures of Japan.

Star Alliance announces Circle Asia Fare
Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth™, today announced the introduction of the Circle Asia Fare, providing more choice and value for those travelling through North Asia*, Southeast Asia* and the Southwest Pacific.

Round-the-World mileage calculator enhances Star Alliance website
Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth™, has enhanced the functionality of its website by installing a round-the-world mileage calculator. This tool allows customers to build their individual round-the-world itinerary, segment by segment.

Star Alliance welcomes Visa International into the Visit Japan campaign
Star Alliance and Visa International today announced plans to collaborate on a wide range of marketing and communication programs to strongly boost global and regional awareness of the Japanese government’s Visit Japan Campaign initiative (“Yokoso Japan”).

The Star Alliance Network signs first Australian corporate travel agreement
Warner Music Australia has become the first Australian company to sign a corporate travel agreement with the Star Alliance network for its international travel.

Adria Airways and Croatia Airlines receive approval to join Star Alliance as regional members
Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth™, will further enhance the quality of its network by adding two regional members, Adria Airways and Croatia Airlines. Upon joining, with their respective hubs in Ljubljana and Zagreb, both carriers will improve the Star Alliance network offering to and from south-eastern Europe.

Star Alliance boosts Japan domestic travel pass sales by 30%
Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth™, today announced that sales of its Star Alliance Japan Airpass, have boosted the overall number of visitors to Japan who take advantage of special domestic only air fares by typically 30%.

Star Alliance awards CRM and Loyalty Communication business
After completing a careful selection process comprising five international agencies, Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth, has appointed ICLP (International Customer Loyalty Programmes) as its CRM and Loyalty agency and HTW (Harrison Troughton Wunderman) as its Loyalty direct marketing agency.

Star Alliance member carriers add over 750 flights to and from The Americas for summer 2004
To meet with increasing demand for busy summer travel, Star Alliance™ member carriers have added more than 750 flights to and from The Americas throughout the summer 2004 schedule.

Star Alliance wins Silver Award at Cannes Lions Advertising Festival
Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth™, won the Silver Award in the consumer services category at the prestigious Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, one of the advertising world’s longest running award events.

Blue1 to become first Star Alliance regional member
Application of Finnish airline approved
The Chief Executive Board of Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth™, today announced that Finnish airline Blue1 will become the first regional member of the alliance.

Star Alliance approves TAP membership - Consolidates network's Latin Link
The Chief Executive Board of Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth™, today unanimously approved TAP Air Portugal's application to join the alliance which will further enhance the network’s ‘Latin Link’.

Star Alliance approves South African Airways' membership application
The Chief Executive Board of Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth™, today unanimously approved South African Airways' application to join the alliance.

Star Alliance media procurement deal signed
Star Alliance™, the airline network for Earth, signed a deal with GroupM (Mediaedge:cia and MindShare) which will dramatically lower media procurement costs for participating member airlines.

Star Alliance improves Conventions Plus offer for event organisers
Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth has enhanced its global convention product, Conventions Plus™, both in terms of geographic reach and fares.

Star Alliance leads the way to the new European member states
Star Alliance, The Airline Network for Earth, offers unparalleled flight connections to the ten new member countries which are set to join the European Union on May 1, 2004. In total, the Star Alliance member carriers operate more than 1750 weekly flights to a total of 21 destinations located in the new member countries, representing a twenty percent increase in terms of flights as to summer 2003.

Star Alliance introduces special fares for its North American Airpass
Star AllianceTM, the airline network for Earth, will offer its North American Airpass at special fares for travel between May 1, 2004 and June 15, 2004. The Airpass permits travel throughout Canada, the USA, Mexico and the Caribbean on Star Alliance member carriers Air Canada, United and US Airways.

US Airways to become full member of Star Alliance on May 4
Star AllianceTM today announced that US Airways will become a full member effective May 4, 2004, further enhancing US Airways’ and Star Alliance’s global reach and expanding the breadth of service available to customers.

Star Alliance welcomes South African Airways' decision to join the alliance
Star Alliance™, the airline network for Earth, today welcomed South African Airways' decision to pursue membership in Star Alliance.

Star Alliance launches Asian Airpass
Star Alliance™, the airline network for Earth, today introduced the Asian Airpass, the sixth in a series of airpasses offered by the global airline alliance. The Asian Airpass allows customers, in conjunction with a Star Alliance member carrier flight starting in USA, Canada, Central & South America, Europe, Africa or the Middle East, to choose from 16 destinations throughout Asia, and take up to 6 individual flights.

Star Alliance introduces Japan Airpass
Star Alliance™, the airline network for Earth, today introduced the Japan Airpass, the fifth in a series of airpasses that offer customers value across the alliance’s extensive network.  The new product allows customers, in conjunction with an intercontinental flight on a Star Alliance member airline, to purchase up to five coupons for flights to any of 48 destinations in Japan at one very affordable price.

Star Alliance enhanced Benefits Package launched in U.K.
Star AllianceTM, the airline network for Earth, today launched a wide array of additional benefits for U.K. frequent flyers that surpasses any other alliance offering in that market.

Star Alliance and BEA Systems sign deal to lower technology cost structure for member airlines
Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth and BEA Systems, Inc, the world’s leading application infrastructure software company, today announced a five-year agreement enabling each airline to lower its information technology (IT) cost structure significantly by purchasing infrastructure software from BEA.