The battle for TAP Air Portugal has evolved into far more than a privatization process. The battle for TAP Air Portugal is no longer simply about privatizing Portugal’s national airline. It has become one of the most consequential strategic contests in modern aviation—one that could reshape not only Europe’s airline industry but the entire global airline alliance system. Behind the scenes, however, it could become the defining battle over the future balance of power among the world’s three global airline alliances. A New Alliance Chess MatchFor nearly three decades, Star Alliance has been widely regarded as the world’s strongest global airline alliance.