Arabesk (airline alliance)
Arabesk Network Cooperation Project was a "network alignment project", an unofficial and non-binding airline alliance, comprising members of Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO).
This network alignment group was founded in 2006, after a year of preparation with technical assistance from Sabre Airline Solutions, by the following seven airlines:[1]
-
EgyptAir (Star Alliance member) -
Gulf Air -
Middle East Airlines (SkyTeam member) -
Royal Jordanian (oneworld member) -
Saudia (SkyTeam member) -
Tunisair -
Yemenia
In 2007 these were joined by:[2]
The last addition to the project was:
The project aimed to boost market share and coordinate schedules, reduce duplication on routes and link the destinations network of its members, which stretched from North America to East Asia.[3] At that time, Arab airline operators were generally not included in the major airline alliances, partly because of their relatively small market share.[4]
As well as coordinating schedules, the Arabesk carriers consolidated joint fuel purchasing under the AACO umbrella, and other supplies.[4] Abdul Wahab Teffaha, Secretary General of AACO, explained, “This is not an airline alliance, but a unique grouping of carriers from a single region designed to help members realise better commercial potential, through schedule coordination.”[5]
The project continued until the end of the decade.[6]
References
- ↑ Aviation Week, Mar 10, 2006:"Middle East Airlines finalize Arabesk Alliance". Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2007-10-31.
- ↑ AACO, 23 October 2007."Etihad Airways and Syrian Arab Airlines join "Arabesk"". Archived from the original on 2009-03-28. Retrieved 2007-10-31.
- ↑ Gulf News (10 October 2005). "Arab airline alliance planned". Zawya. Archived from the original on 4 May 2007. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
- 1 2 "Arabesk makes airlines' ops more efficient". Aviation International News. 7 December 2006. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
- ↑ AACO, 10 February 2006."Founder Airlines of Arabesk sign Articles of Co-operation". Archived from the original on 2007-06-25. Retrieved 2007-10-31.
- ↑ Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO),"Joint projects". Archived from the original on 2010-10-23. Retrieved 2008-07-17.