A number of airline analysts believe that within the next five years there may be less than eight global airlines, which will have been created from current alliances. Once an alliance has been formed, change evolves quickly. On a recent flight from Dubai to Frankfurt, although the airline was the German carrier Lufthansa, the on-board flight announcement welcomed passengers 'to this Star Alliance flight'. If the analysts are right, eight global airlines could not possibly serve the entire world, so that would be handled by up to 400 regional carriers and a handful of independent airlines, who would offer competition on regional and some international routes. One of the biggest problems facing passengers is that they never know whether the airline they booked is the one they will actually fly.
Some airlines sell seats under their own code in another airline's cabin.
Continental Airlines sells its own tickets on Virgin Atlantic flights from Heathrow to Miami and Sabena sells seats on Virgin Express flights from Brussels to Heathrow. The history of air alliances is quite short and followed a deregulation agreement signed by the European Union in 1997. This came 19 years after deregulation, or an 'open skies' policy was introduced in the United States. In effect, it allows carriers to fly anywhere, at any time, charging whatever fare they want. Although open skies is supposed to mean more choice, more competition, more options for passengers and lower fares as well as allowing more airlines into a country, many airline analysts say that alliances are turning back the clock and perpetuating pooled schedules and revenues, along with the prospect of higher fares.