The Thai subsidiary will become the second member of the Star Alliance Connecting Partner program in 2020.
The Star Alliance Connecting Partner program is designed to provide alliance member airline passengers with continued frequent flyer program benefits when connecting between an alliance member airline and a non-member airline.
Continued benefits of the loyalty program for connecting passengers
Proof if it were needed that alliances are no longer popular and that airlines now prefer more flexible commercial partnerships.
Today, although Thai Smile is a subsidiary of Thai, the founding airline of the Star Alliance, flying on Thai Smile in connection with a Star Alliance flight does not bring any benefit to the customer who is a member of a Star Alliance frequent flyer program: no mileage earning, no access to a lounge etc.
From the beginning of 2020, Star Alliance member airlines will be able to use their flight number in codeshare on flights operated by Thai Smile. In return, passengers will benefit from the continuity of the frequent flyer program: priority check-in, lounge access, additional baggage,
Business partnerships are easier than alliances
For the record, to join an alliance, an airline must develop commercial partnerships with all of its members, whereas to join a partner program such as Star Alliance Connecting Partner, it only needs a commercial partnership with three of the members. Much easier to manage for medium-sized airlines and more realistic/flexible for all parties.
As Thai Smile is not a Star Alliance member, travel on a Thai Smile flight connecting to a Star Alliance flight is not eligible for mileage earning/spending, but bilateral arrangements can be made on a case by case basis. For example, it will be possible to credit stolen Thai Smile miles to Thai’s Royal Orchid Plus program, but not to any other program to date. Too bad but logical.
These benefits do not apply to flights operated by Thai Smile outside of a connection with a member airline.
The first Star Alliance connecting Partner airline is Juneyao Airlines since 2017.
We have already tried Thai Smile and it is anything but a low cost : let’s say a “budget premium” on which the quality of service has nothing to envy to the medium haulage service of the European majors, even superior to them.
Photo : Thai Smile by Sudpoth Sirirattanasaku via Shutterstock
