The oneworld alliance of some 13 of the world’s leading airlines, including Qatar Airways, has introduced “oneworld connect,” a new platform for airlines to link up to the world’s premier alliance.
Fiji Airways on Sunday became the first oneworld connect partner, giving its passengers the opportunity “to enjoy more services and benefits across an even more extensive global network” including that of Qatar Airways.
At a media event held at the International Convention Centre here, the venue of the 74th IATA Annual General Meeting and the World Air Transport Summit, the alliance leaders said a date will be announced in due course when Fiji Airways will start offering oneworld connect services and benefits.
Oneworld connect is the first new membership platform unveiled by oneworld since the alliance was originally announced 20 years ago.
Besides Qatar Airways, the oneworld members include American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LATAM Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines and SriLankan Airlines, and around 30 affiliates.
Oneworld said it is in discussion with other carriers interested in participating in the programme, from various parts of the world including the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe.
Each oneworld connect partner will need to have a minimum of three oneworld members as its sponsors to be initiated into the programme. The initial oneworld sponsors of Fiji Airways will be all four of oneworld’s original founding members – American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas. The Australian carrier will additionally mentor Fiji Airways through its oneworld connect implementation process.
American Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Qantas already code-share and have frequent flyer links with Fiji Airways. British Airways and Fiji Airways are currently discussing areas for potential bilateral cooperation.
The oneworld alliance serves more than 1,000 airports in 150 plus territories including Qatar’s Hamad International Airport, with some 14,000 daily departures. It carries almost 550mn passengers a year on a combined fleet of 3,500 aircraft and generate more than $130bn annual revenues.
Oneworld governing board chairman Pekka Vauramo, CEO of Finnair, said, “In the 20 years since oneworld’s conception in 1998, global airline alliances have expanded their breadth to the extent that they now account for 60% of total industry revenues and capacity globally, and 70% of revenues between the world’s top 125 business city airports.
“With most of the world’s biggest airlines already signed up, global airline alliances have reached maturity. In the future, oneworld will target as full members large airlines that have a significant presence in the alliance’s prime target market, providing connections between the world’s leading business centres. Meantime, oneworld connect enables us to bring together more airlines to complement the alliance’s global leaders, so customers can earn rewards and feel recognised while travelling even further.”
