Strategic networks in the airline industry: the Varig-Star Alliance case

In a increasingly competitive world scenario, integration in strategic-alliance networks is an effective way of achieving success and, sometimes, even of survival, especially in the airline industry. This article examines if the association in constellation-type strategic networks suits the strategy of each member company. With this purpose, it presents a case study focusing the partnership between Varig, the largest carrier in Latin America, and Star Alliance, currently the largest strategicalliance carrier network. Several databases from different Brazilian and foreign civil aviation organisms were used in the survey. A semi-structured questionnaire was also used to analyze how Varig's most important executives involved in Star Alliance activities perceived the role and relevant features of this network for the company's strategies. With the help of a set of tools developed for relational strategic analysis, i.e., the analysis of the relationship between companies, the study revealed the importance of considering the strategic implications of relationships in the company's planning.