东南大学英语考博阅读理解Word文件下载.docx

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Airlineallianceshavetravelersscratchingtheirheadsoverwhatsgoingonintheskies.Somefolksviewalliancesasablessingtotravelers,offeringseamlesstravel,reducedfaresandenhancedfrequent-flyerbenefits.Othersseeaconspiracyofbigbusinesses,causingdecreasedcompetition,increasedfaresandfewerchoices.Whateveryouropinion,there'

snoescapingairlinealliances:

themarketinghypeisunrelenting,witheachofthetwomega-groupings,OneworldandStarAlliance,promotingitselfasthebestchoiceforalltravelers.And,evenifyouturnawayfromtheirads,chancesaretheywillfigureinanyofyourtravelplans.Bytheendoftheyear,OneworldandStarAlliancewillbetweenthemcontrolmorethan40%ofthetrafficinthesky.Somepunditspredictthatfigurewillbemorelike75%in10years.

Butwhy,afteryearsofoftenferociouscompetition,haveairlinesdecidedtobandtogether?

Let'

sjustsaythetimingismutuallyconvenient.NorthAmericanairlines,havingexhaustedallmeansofearningcustomerloyaltyathome,havebeenlookingforwaystoreachouttoforeignflyers.Asiancarriersarestillhurtingfromtheregion-wideeconomicdownturnthatbegantwoyearsago-justwhensomeoftheairlinesweretakingdeliveryofnewaircraft.Alliancesalsoallowcarrierstocutcostsandincreaseprofitsbypoolingmanpowerresourcesontheground（ratherthaneachairlinemaintainingitsowngroundcrew）andcode-sharing-thepracticeoftwopartnerssellingticketsandoperatingonlyoneaircraft.

Soalliancesareterrificforairlines-butaretheygoodforthepassenger?

Absolutely,saytheairlines:

thinkofthelounges,thejointFFP（frequentflyerprogram）benefits,theround-the-worldfares,andtheglobalservicenetworks.Thenthere'

sthepromiseof"

seamless"

travel:

theabilityto,say,travelfromSingaporetoRometoNewYorktoRiodeJaneiro,allononeticket,withouthavingtowaithoursforconnectionsorworryaboutyourbags.Soundsutopian?

PeterBuecking,CathayPacific'

sdirectorofsalesandmarketing,thinksthatseamlesstravelisstillevolving."

It'

sfairtosaythattheselinksareonlyintheirinfancy.Thekeytoseamlessnessrestsininfrastructureandinformationsharing.We'

reworkingonthis."

HenryMa,spokespersonforStarAllianceinHongKong,listssomeoftheotherbenefitsforconsumers:

"

Globaltravelershaveaneasiertimemakingconnectionsandplanningtheiritineraries."

Maclaimsalliancesalsoassurepassengersconsistentservicestandards.

Criticsofalliancessaythemuch-toutedbenefitstotheconsumeraremostlypieinthesky,thatalliancesareallaboutreducingcostsfortheairlines,rationalizingservicesandrunningjointmarketingprograms.JeffBlyskal,associateeditorofConsumerReportsmagazine,saysthepromotionalballyhoooveralliancesismuchadoaboutnothing."

Idon'

tseemuchofagainforconsumers:

alliancesarejustamarketinggimmick.Andasfarasseamlesstravelgoes,I'

llbelieveitwhenIseeit.Mostairlinescan'

tevengettheirownconnectionsundercontrol,letalonecoordinatewithanotherairline."

Blyskalbelievesallianceswillultimatelyresultindecreasedflightchoicesandincreasedcostsforconsumers.Insteadoftwoairlinescompetingandeachoperatingaflightonthesamerouteat70%capacity,thealliedpairwillsharetherouteandrunonefullflight.Sincefewerseatswillbeavailable,passengerswillbeobligedtopaymorefortickets.

Thetruthaboutalliancesandtheirmeritsprobablyliessomewherebetweenthetravelutopiapresentedbytheplayersandtheevilempiresportrayedbytheircritics.Andhowmuchtheyaffectyoudependsonwhatkindoftraveleryouare.

Thosewho'

vealreadymadetheelitegradeintheFFPofamajorairlinestandtobenefitthemostwhenitjoinsanalliance:

thentheyenjoytheFFPperksandadvantagesonanyandallofthemembercarriers.Forexample,ifyoureaMarcoPoloClub"

gold"

memberofCathayPacificsAsiaMilesFFP,youwillautomaticallybetreatedasavaluablecustomerbyallmembersofOneworld,ofwhichCathayPacificisamember-evenifyou'

veneverflownwiththembefore.

Forthosewhohaven'

tmadethetopgradeinanyFFP,alliancesmightbeawayofsimplifyingtheearningoffrequentflyermiles.Forexample,IbelongtoUnitedAirline'

sMileagePlusandgenerallyflylessthan25,000milesayear.ButIearnmileswitheveryflightItakeonStarAlliancemember-AllNipponAirwaysandThaiAirways.

IfyouflylessthanIdo,youmightbesmartertostayoutoftheFFPgamealtogether.Huntforbargainswhenbookingflightsandyoumightbeabletosaveenoughtotakethatextratripanyway.Theonlyrealbenefitinfrequentflyerscandrawfromanallianceisaninexpensiveround-the-worldfare.

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