Star Alliance Business Center Opens in Bangkok

Star AllianceTM, the airline network for Earth, today inaugurated a business center in Bangkok, Thailand. The facility, which is the third of its kind serving the alliance, was officially opened by Mr. Bhisit Kuslasayanon, President of Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, Mr. Friedel Rodig, Chief Executive Officer of Star Alliance, and Dr. Juergen Weber, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lufthansa. Both THAI and Lufthansa are founding members of the alliance.

The Star Alliance business center in the Thai capital joins similar centers already set up in Los Angeles and Frankfurt to provide offices for the growing number of full-time Star Alliance management and staff assigned to move the alliance forward. The facility also serves as a regional venue for meetings within the alliance. Star Alliance currently has approximately 100 full-time employees, while more than 600 people on the member airlines’ payroll are involved in the alliance work through a large number of working groups and committees.

Initially, the Bangkok facility will provide offices for the Star Alliance organization assigned with the development of station services. Star Alliance Corporate Communications will also maintain a representation by having the newly appointed Director of Media Relations for Asia work out of the Star Alliance business center in Bangkok.

“The opening of the Bangkok center proves that Bangkok is an important gateway to the world, a true hub of Asia and most important of all, is ready to meet the needs of Star Alliance member airlines. As President of one of the founding members of Star Alliance and the national carrier of Thailand, I am extremely proud that Thailand has been chosen as the location for the Star Alliance Business Center,’ commented Mr. Bhisit Kuslasayanon, Thai Airways International.

“The Bangkok office completes the chain of Star Alliance business centers around the world,” said Friedel Rodig, Chief Executive Officer of the global airline partnership. “With business centers in North America, Europe and now also in Asia, Star Alliance never sleeps. At any time, around the clock, our organization is at work to bring the alliance closer to its goal of providing a truly seamless travel product to our customers.”

Star Alliance was established in 1997. Its world class members include Air Canada, Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, Ansett Australia, the Austrian Airlines Group (comprising Austrian Airlines, Lauda Air and Tyrolean Airways), British Midland, Lufthansa German Airlines, Mexicana Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines – SAS, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways International, United Airlines and VARIG Brazilian Airlines.