Star Alliance Information
Star Alliance, founded in 1997, is the oldest of the three main airline alliances. It was established by Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, United Airlines and Thai Airways and became the biggest airline alliance in the world; it now boasts 27 member airlines and 21,200 daily flights.
The alliance carries over 600 million passengers a year to 1,160 airports in 181 countries, meaning that the alliance reaches across the globe. The alliance has brought member airlines together both in the skies and on the ground; famously, a number of Star Alliance members moved to Terminal 1 of London Heathrow Airport in 2008, and all Star Alliance members who use the London hub will be housed in the new Terminal 2A once it is completed, to ensure smooth connections between member airlines.
Some Star Alliance member airlines paint their aircraft in the Star Alliance livery, which usually includes a white aircraft body with the “Star Alliance” signature and a black tailfin with the Star Alliance logo. Those aircraft painted in the airline’s livery have the Star Alliance logo painted behind the cockpit.