SkyTeam Unveils New Alliance Facility at London Heathrow Airport

LONDON, Oct. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Today SkyTeam, the global airline alliance, unveiled its spacious, customer-focused facility at Terminal 4 at London Heathrow airport. The new facility includes an exclusive premium check-in area for first and business class passengers, premium economy passengers, as well as SkyTeam Elite and Elite Plus passengers. Also unveiled today was the second level of the SkyTeam co-branded lounge. When the check-in area and second level of the lounge open to passengers on November 5 and November 9, respectively, the combined amenities will offer an enhanced experience for customers traveling through London Heathrow. SkyTeam is the first airline alliance to unveil a permanent, common facility in one terminal at London Heathrow.

"This is the first time member airlines have worked together from start to finish to create a consolidated facility truly centered around the alliance and our passengers," said Marie-Joseph Male, managing director, SkyTeam. "Shared spaces like Heathrow demonstrate how, through collaboration, alliances can deliver added value to customers while realizing efficiencies for members."

Landside Space Designed for Flow

The common alliance facility at Terminal 4 was designed to invoke movement through a modern look inspired by the SkyTeam brand. For the first time, all SkyTeam co-located members will share airport services, including check-in desks, self-service kiosks, and bag drop off locations.

The premium check-in area, the first to be SkyTeam branded, will offer first and business class passengers as well as SkyTeam Elite and Elite Plus passengers 14 check-in desks and 10 common-use, self-service kiosks. By early 2010, passengers will be able to access travel reservations with any of the eight SkyTeam carriers serving London Heathrow at kiosks in the premium zone and throughout the terminal.

Airside Lounge a First For Alliance

Once airside, first and business class passengers and SkyTeam Elite Plus passengers will enjoy access to the SkyTeam branded lounge, designed by Brandimage - Desgrippes & Laga. Services on the second level of the lounge will include: a quiet room with day beds; two VIP rooms; and a separate children's area with games and television. The first floor, which opened in June, offers a variety of amenities including wine bar, oxygen bar and full-body massage chairs.

An enhanced presence at London Heathrow will augment SkyTeam's already superior global hub network. At London Heathrow, passengers can take advantage of several nonstop service options to SkyTeam's hubs, such as Amsterdam, Atlanta, Milan, Moscow, Nairobi, New York, Paris, Prague, Rome and Seoul. During the upcoming winter season, SkyTeam will operate 42 daily flights from Heathrow to several alliance hubs and key international destinations.

Currently, Delta, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Kenya Airways are operating out of Terminal 4. The remaining SkyTeam carriers at Heathrow (Aeroflot, Air France, Alitalia, Czech Airlines and Korean Air) move to Terminal 4 in November.

SkyTeam Moves to Terminal 1 at Barcelona

Also this week, SkyTeam opened a shared facility at the new, state-of-the-art Terminal 1 at Barcelona Airport. The eight SkyTeam airlines serving Barcelona (Aeromexico, Aeroflot, Air Europa, Air France, Alitalia, Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines) began operating out of the new terminal on October 25. This move provides member airlines quicker access to the runway and decreases taxiing time by approximately ten minutes. With shorter taxi times, carriers require less fuel, which not only saves on costs but also contributes to a friendlier environment.

Shared airport facilities, similar to those at London Heathrow and Barcelona, are an essential part of SkyTeam's overall strategy. SkyTeam continues to evaluate similar investments other airports around the globe.

About SkyTeam

SkyTeam is the global airline alliance partnering nine members, Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Air France, Alitalia, China Southern, Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Korean Air, and two Associate Airlines: Air Europa, and Kenya Airways. SkyTeam offers its 384 million annual passengers a worldwide system of more than 13,133 daily flights covering 856 destinations in 169 countries.(1) www.skyteam.com.

(1) Figures for the nine SkyTeam members and two Associate Airlines as of June 2009 schedules