Partnerships and alliances take on an increased purpose

For the surviving airlines, partnership and alliances appear as an increasingly attractive option. Before the pandemic many had started to question the value of alliances. Now they are providing an important safety net for carriers enabling them to serve strong, profitable markets and allow partners to support wider connectivity.

Mergers and consolidation have accelerated as a result. JetBlue’s acquisition of Spirit Airlines from under the nose of Frontier Airlines – and the premium it paid – could be the start of a trend as airlines seek to solidify their market penetration.

The expansion of partnership has not just been within the industry though – it is also looking at expanding collaboration with other transport providers, technology partners, environmental organisations and more.

The global pandemic has significantly accelerated the pace at which companies are bringing new ideas to market, including massively expediting some processes and applying pressure on industry ecosystems to deliver services in new ways.

• How should companies use partnerships to build business resiliency?

• Can strategic joint ventures bridge the supply and demand gap?

• Will the COVID pandemic break down the Mergers & Acquisitions wall or actually make it stronger?