BWIA maintains policy on avoiding alliances

BWIA maintains policy on avoiding alliances

BWIA West Indies Airways is continuing to shun the role of global alliances despite its recent partnership with Star Alliance member United Airlines.

The West Indies-based carrier began codesharing routes with United Airlines in July in a bid to offer its own customers access to the USmid-West and also allow United customers greater entry to the West Indies and the Caribbean islands.

BWIA director UK and Europe Peter Iland said that by joining one of the five global airline alliances, he feared BWIA would lose its identity.

“We are codesharing with United but we are not looking to become a member of Star Alliance. We have just rebranded the whole of BWIA’s fleet and I’m not sure we are big enough to join an alliance. BWIA will continue to pick and choose its partners,” he said.

Iland added that BWIA’s presence in Europe was already boosted by deals with Star Alliance partner British Midland.

BWIAworks with British Midland to offer customers pro-rate deals whereby flights on the UK airline which connect with BWIA flights out of Heathrow are sold on one BWIAticket.

On course: BWIAfears that its identity will be threatened if it joins an alliance