Star Alliance(TM) Welcomes Asiana, Lot and Spanair to Its Roster of World Class Airlines

    SHANGHAI, China, June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chief Executive Board of Star
 Alliance today approved the addition of three new members to the global
 airline group.  Work will commence immediately on the integration of Asiana
 Airlines of South Korea, LOT Polish Airlines and Spanair of Spain into Star
 Alliance.
     No official date has yet been set for the official entry into Star
 Alliance of the new member airlines. It is anticipated, however, that they
 will all become part of the world's leading airline alliance within the next
 six to 12 months.
     "We are proud that Asiana, LOT and Spanair have chosen to join Star
 Alliance," the Chief Executive Board said in a statement. "They will add
 further strength and quality to our worldwide route network by increasing its
 global reach and thereby its customer value. With the addition of Asiana, LOT
 and Spanair we have taken another important step in the development of Star
 Alliance as the world's premiere airline alliance," the chief executives
 added.
     "Asiana is excited to join Star Alliance, the leading airline alliance
 that will continue to shed new meaning and light on the airline business,"
 said Chan Bup Park, President and Chief Operating Officer of Asiana. "By
 working closely with Star Alliance members in the Northeast and Southeast
 Asian markets, Asiana will become a great asset to the alliance, providing an
 extended network that will greatly benefit customers and Star Alliance."
     Jan Litwinski, President and CEO of LOT said, "We are extremely happy that
 the Star Alliance Chief Executive Board today accepted our application for
 membership in this truly global airline network. I am convinced that the
 values LOT will bring to Star Alliance will benefit customers as well as the
 member carriers. Our membership in Star Alliance will connect Poland with the
 world and the world with Poland."
     "We are delighted to further our valued airline partnerships by joining
 Star Alliance," said Gonzalo Pascual, President and Chairman of the Board of
 Spanair.
     "After many years of successful cooperation with some of the world's most
 prestigious airlines -- all founding and current members of Star Alliance --
 we look forward to providing travelers in Spain with the enhanced recognition,
 benefits and global access they deserve. Today's decision by the Star Alliance
 Chief Executive Board is an important milestone for Spanair that has been
 enthusiastically awaited by our customers, employees and shareholders as we
 complete the remaining steps to fulfill our role as Star Alliance's member in
 Southern Europe," Pascual said.
     Asiana Airlines was established in 1988.  It serves 64 destinations in 15
 countries, including 14 cities in China, out of Seoul with a modern fleet of
 64 aircraft. Asiana carried 12 million passengers last year. The airline
 employs more than 8,000 people.
     LOT Polish Airlines can look back upon a history that started in 1929. The
 airline serves 12 domestic and 49 international destinations out of Warsaw
 with a fleet of 51 aircraft. Some 3.2 million passengers were carried in 2001.
 LOT Polish Airlines has 4,355 employees.
     Spanair was set up in 1986 as a joint venture between Star Alliance member
 SAS Scandinavian Airlines and Teinver SA of Spain. The airline operates
 services to 25 destinations in mainland Spain, the Balearic and Canary Islands
 as well as internationally with a fleet of 49 aircraft. More than eight
 million passengers were carried by Spanair in 2001. The airline has 2,750
 employees.
     Star Alliance was established in May, 1997 as the first truly global
 airline alliance. The member airlines are Air Canada, Air New Zealand, All
 Nippon Airways - ANA, Austrian Airlines, bmi british midland, Lauda Air,
 Lufthansa German Airlines, Mexicana Airlines, SAS Scandinavian Airlines,
 Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways International, Tyrolean Airways, United
 Airlines and VARIG Brazilian Airlines. The Star Alliance network serves 729
 airports in 124 countries.
 
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SOURCE  Star Alliance