Skyscanner, Star Alliance partner on bookings

Star Alliance has partnered with travel search experts Skyscanner to allow visitors to its website to more easily book multi-itinerary airfares with its 28 member airlines. The deal with Skyscanner, which also powers AirlineRatings’ booking process, comes as the global alliance has also refreshed its website to make it brighter and more user-friendly with shorter paths to its most popular features on both desktop and mobile devices. The new feature sits alongside Star’s popular lounge finder and flight status functions and aims to help customers find global connections that best meet their needs. “By introducing the alliance carrier fare search feature, made possible through our Skyscanner partnership, we are responding to our alliance customers’ feedback, offering a service which allows our members’ frequent flyers to easily book with Star Alliance member airlines and enjoy Star Alliance benefits”, said Jeremy Drury, director digital & E-services for Star Alliance. “Anything that is bookable on our member airlines’ websites can now be reached through our site.” Drury indicated that the alliance intended exploring further opportunities with Skyscanner as part of several digital initiatives being developed with member carriers. These include services such as interline baggage tracking, interline seat assignment at the time of reservation, lounge and Gold Track security locations, and frequent flyer membership number validation. Star remains the biggest of the global alliances with more than 18,800 daily flights to over 1,300 airport destinations in 193 countries. It says it offers coverage to 98 percent of the world. Members include All Nippon Airways, United Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Air China, Air New Zealand and Air Canada. Rival alliance oneworld recently announced it was also bolstering its offering with branded lounges and upgraded technology that allows customers to check-in and obtain online boarding passes for connecting flights. READ oneworld celebrates 20 years with branded lounges, easier connections. Oneworld said passengers will see the progressive rollout of a new digital platform that aims to “bring to life the alliance’s core promise of seamless connectivity for customers flying on multi-sector, multi-airline journeys”.