Airline alliance SkyTeam has rejected the need for a central governing body and has ruled out the introduction of a common information technology (IT) platform in the near future.
Speaking at SkyTeam's semi-annual conference in Amsterdam, KLM president Leo van Wijk said: "You get to the situation where a group of people disconnected from the front-line is trying to build an empire which is not effective. We certainly don't see any need for creating a structure which is just a bureaucratic overlay."
Instead SkyTeam has redesigned its governance structure, effecting a significant reduction in its number of working groups to simplify and focus its activities. It has also introduced an opt-out option for some of its projects, so as not to block co-operation among interested parties.
Rival group Star Alliance has an independent management structure, led by chief executive Jaan Albrecht. Star has also been pursuing a common IT system, an objective which is not shared by SkyTeam. Van Wijk says: "Until proven differently, we don't see a need to create a SkyTeam common platform."
Systems
The nine SkyTeam members work from around six systems, CSA being on Air France's system, Northwest and Delta using Worldspan and Continental Airlines and Aeromexico being on Shares.
Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, Air France president and chief operating officer, says: "[IT] is a subject for thought and we are working on what to do in the future - not for one common platform, but we do need to reduce the number of platforms."
Speaking at SkyTeam's semi-annual conference in Amsterdam, KLM president Leo van Wijk said: "You get to the situation where a group of people disconnected from the front-line is trying to build an empire which is not effective. We certainly don't see any need for creating a structure which is just a bureaucratic overlay."
Instead SkyTeam has redesigned its governance structure, effecting a significant reduction in its number of working groups to simplify and focus its activities. It has also introduced an opt-out option for some of its projects, so as not to block co-operation among interested parties.
Rival group Star Alliance has an independent management structure, led by chief executive Jaan Albrecht. Star has also been pursuing a common IT system, an objective which is not shared by SkyTeam. Van Wijk says: "Until proven differently, we don't see a need to create a SkyTeam common platform."
Systems
The nine SkyTeam members work from around six systems, CSA being on Air France's system, Northwest and Delta using Worldspan and Continental Airlines and Aeromexico being on Shares.
Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, Air France president and chief operating officer, says: "[IT] is a subject for thought and we are working on what to do in the future - not for one common platform, but we do need to reduce the number of platforms."
Source: Flight Daily News