Press Release 2000

Star Alliance carriers take the lead in airline industry B2B exchange

Star Alliance today announced that member airlines are taking the lead in launching the first buyer-driven business-to-business e-commerce exchange for the airline industry, allowing users to purchase their supplies online later this year. The exchange, intended for use by all airlines in the industry, will offer the most comprehensive selection of aircraft technical parts and services and general business supplies available to airlines on the Web.

Since the exchange is intended to serve the whole industry, airlines which are not members of Star Alliance will actively be invited to join the exchange. A number of carriers have already expressed an interest to participate in the near future.

An industry-wide platform would allow users to purchase products and services with the confidence that the system is buyer-driven. Robert Milton, CEO of Air Canada, spearheading the initiative on behalf of Star Alliance, said in Singapore: "We expect to achieve a wide range of benefits for the airlines participating in this system, including higher transparency of purchasing activity, lower prices and administrative efficiency."

The site will be managed independently of individual airlines. A management team, identity for the exchange, and technology partners will be named at a later date.

As of April 7, the global Star Alliance network includes Air Canada, Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways - ANA, Ansett Australia, Austrian Airlines Group (comprising Austrian Airlines, Lauda Air and Tyrolean Airways), Lufthansa German Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines System - SAS, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways International, United Airlines and VARIG Brazilian Airlines.

Mexicana Airlines and British Midland Airways are slated to join Star Alliance later this year. With the addition of the new members, the Star Alliance network will cover more than 800 destinations in 130 countries.

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