This paper performs a comparative literature review of different approaches to explain the effects of international airline alliances on fares. Authors develop different models adopting their own simplifications and boundary conditions. In the models effects of cooperative price setting are shown to have positive effects for consumers. With the improvement of services, consumers may be willing to pay a premium, which can outweigh to positive effects of allocative efficiency. In non-cooperative pricing conditions, both airlines and passengers do not reap the full benefits possible from the system. The loss of competition however always results in an increase on fares. By studying the repertoire on airline alliances it is possible to advance a comprehensive view on the subject.
airline; alliances; pricing; price; fare