This study aims to reveal the critical success factors that provide global airline alliances success by making a comparative analysis of the performances of global airline alliances for the period before and during the pandemic. To do this, the performance data of 35 airlines that are members of Star Alliance, SkyTeam, and Oneworld alliances were analyzed for the years between 2017 and 2020 by using CRITIC-CoCoSo methods. The study benefits 7 criteria including 3 financial and 4 operational. The results reveal that the operating result and the load factor are among the critical success factors for global airline alliances when considering all years analyzed. In addition, SkyTeam alliance is in the first place during the pandemic period, while it is in the last place after Oneworld and Star Alliance in the general ranking. The study is expected to contribute to the airline management literature, executives of global airline alliances and member airlines by exploring the critical success factors that global airline alliances must have to overcome negative effects of crisis periods and to be sustainable.

Airline companies has been incorporated various cooperation forms to handle risky situations arising from high competition level and to gain sustainable competitive advantages. The aim of this research is to reveal the transformation that strategic airline alliances and airline joint ventures have, with their current situation. In this research, which adopted the qualitative research design, semi-structured interviews were held with top executives of five traditional airline companies affiliated to strategic airline alliances and airline joint ventures. The most significant finding obtained as a result of the research is that airline companies affiliated with strategic airline alliances are beginning to question alliances’ structures though airlines accept that alliances are still valuable to them. Another remarkable finding is that airlines have begun to move out of classical form with newly launched form of joint venture.