Long haul low cost airlines move to mainstream as they join their parents' JVs

AS FULL SERVICE AIRLINE GROUPS rapidly expand into the long haul low cost sector, questions on whether to include LCC subsidiaries in intercontinental JVs naturally emerge. Scoot's upcoming launch of service to Berlin adds urgency to bringing Scoot into the JV launched by SIA and Lufthansa in 2017.

The Singapore Airlines-Lufthansa JV currently includes SIA full service regional subsidiary SilkAir but excludes LCC subsidiary Scoot. SIA and Lufthansa are now working to add Scoot to the JV, a sensible move as it will enable Scoot to start cooperating rather than competing with Lufthansa.

SIA began codesharing with Lufthansa LCC subsidiary Eurowings in 2017 but Lufthansa does not yet codeshare with Scoot. There is also no relationship yet between Scoot and Eurowings, which has been expanding in Berlin - opening the possibility of Scoot using Eurowings to feed its new Singapore-Berlin service.