The Association of
Strategic Alliance Professionals has named the Northwest
Airlines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines transatlantic joint venture as
recipient of its global 2007 ASAP Individual Alliance Excellence
Award.The awards recognize and celebrate companies that have achieved
dramatic success in their alliances and alliance programs.

  Recipients of the Individual Alliance Excellence Award are judged
by the ASAP Awards Committee consisting of leading academics,
analysts, thought leaders and consultants who have extensive
experience with and insight into strategic alliances.

  The judges determined that Northwest/KLM have demonstrated true
commitment to advancing and sharing alliance management practices in
their specific relationship, resulting in tangible business results
through alliance innovation and implementation.

  “Not only was the Northwest/KLM alliance the first major airline
alliance in the world, ours is the most deeply integrated,” said Phil
Haan, executive vice president - international, alliances and
information technology and chairman of NWA Cargo. “The Northwest/KLM
alliance includes coordination of schedules, prices and capacity to
provide the ultimate in passenger convenience while creating
substantial financial benefits for both airlines. Prior to the
implementation of the alliance, travelers would often be forced to
change aircraft and airlines multiple times, recheck luggage, and keep
track of several tickets in order to reach their final destination.
Now, a flight from Des Moines to Cairo is as simple as one ticket, a
single luggage check-in, and an easy connection through a
Northwest/KLM hub.”

  “Since the start of our cooperation in 1989, KLM and Northwest
Airlines have received many awards and other recognitions from within
the airline industry and - more importantly - from our customers,”
said Hans de Roos, senior vice president of Alliances at KLM. “We feel
very honored to receive this recognition from strategic alliance
professionals in other businesses.”

  “ASAP recognizes the unique governance structure of the NWA/KLM
alliance. By honing its decision-making and communication structure
over time, the companies have been able to cope with and exploit the
dynamics of the airline industry for more than 17 years,” said Nick
Palmer, a Partner with Accenture Ltd. and chairman of the ASAP Awards
Committee. “The companies have managed this complex, highly
interdependent relationship successfully. They have built on successes
and setbacks to materially improve their position. In addition, the
alliance has helped shape competition in the airline industry in
general. It has broken ground for the other airline alliances that
have followed its lead, moving airlines toward alliance-based
competition.”

  According to ASAP judges, award recipients are companies that are
exemplary -serving as models of effective alliance management;
innovative - advancing the state of the art of alliance management;
high-impact - achieving major business success through alliances
management; and open - willing to share experiences and best practices
with other ASAP members and with the larger alliance professional
community.
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