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Shanghai-based Juneyao Air is rumored to want a full seat at the Star Alliance table. The airline has been a Star Alliance Connecting Partner since 2017, but it has ambitions to become a full-fledged member of the world’s largest airline alliance in the next few years. The move would significantly boost its global presence, but it will likely create friction with current alliance members like EVA Air and Shenzhen Airlines. Loyalty Lobby broke the news by sharing a retracted statement it found on Chinese news apps.
Juneyao Air has traditionally focused on routes within Asia (particularly China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand). In 2024, it introduced flights to both Melbourne Airport (MEL) and Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD). This year it has expanded to Europe and launched long-haul flights using Boeing 787-9 aircraft to Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH), Brussels Airport (BRU), Helsinki-Vantaa Airport (HEL), Manchester Airport (MAN), and Silvio Berlusconi Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP).
Juneyao Air already has codeshare agreements with many airlines (both in and out of Star Alliance), including Aegean Airlines, Air China, All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, China Eastern, EVA Air, Finnair, and Shenzhen Airlines. It also maintains an interline agreement with Air Canada.
There’s clear upside for Star Alliance: bringing Juneyao on as a full member airline would give the group stronger reach in Eastern China, bolster its position in Asia’s aviation market, and enhance long-haul connectivity to Europe and Oceania (especially from smaller Chinese cities). Juneyao’s hub in Shanghai also offers strategic access to both domestic and international travelers.
EVA Air and Shenzhen Airlines might not like this one bit. EVA Air, Taiwan’s flagship Star Alliance carrier, would face increased competition on key routes connecting Europe to Asia. Meanwhile, Shenzhen Airlines operates a very similar intra-Asia business model to Juneyao Air and may not welcome the added competition. There’s substantial route overlap between the two, especially in southern China and Southeast Asia.
Anthony’s Take: Full Star Alliance membership could be a calculated bet. While it risks some internal competition, it also solidifies the alliance’s influence in East Asia and presents a stronger front against competitors like competitors like Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, Korean Air, and STARLUX. With Asiana leaving Star Alliance once it’s fully merged with Korean, there could be opportunities there as well. Let’s see if this is allowed over the next few years.
(Featured Image Credit: Juneyao Air.)
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