The third Chinese airline, China Eastern, on Friday announced a membership agreement from June 2010 with the Skyteam alliance is located in, including Air France-KLM. His entry will be effective in mid-2011. Companies Delta Airlines, Alitalia, Korean Air or another Chinese company, China Southern, are also part of Skyteam.
Air France-KLM had already signed a partnership with China Eastern on code share flights between Paris and Shanghai. For the French company and the alliance, the future membership sounds like a victory against the other alliances such as Oneworld and Star Alliance. Skyteam marks indeed a great point against Luftahnsa who was also in the running.Thus deviend Skyteam alliance, the largest in China, probably the greatest future aviation market in the world.
More chess with Japan Airlines and Kingfisher Airlines, which joined Oneworld, Skyteam revives success. Oneworld not in its ranks as Cathay Pacific to Asia as the marginalized in this market.
However, doubts remain about the relationship with China Airlines Star Alliance, which had signed a trade agreement with China Eastern.
In June 2010, SkyTeam also plans to host two additional members, Vietnam Airlines and Tarom.