Research Note: Positioning Strategies of Global Airline Alliances from the Consumer's Perspective

Abstract

This paper investigates the differentiation strategy in global airline alliances from the consumer's perspective. The study compares the three major airline alliances (Oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance) and examines their positioning strategies compared to their low-cost competitors. The authors analyse the service attributes provided to customers by 20 international airlines. The results show differences between the three global airline alliances from the perspective of the passengers. Oneworld and SkyTeam have similar positioning strategies as seen by consumers; however, Star Alliance is closely competitive with the low-cost model.