oneworld, a global airline alliance, featuring some of the world's leading carriers, including American Airlines, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Qantas and Qatar Airways has announced it is rolling out a new platform to connect even more passengers globally.
The first airline to join oneworld connect will be Fiji Airways, the flag carrier of the South Pacific island group. The airline flies to 21 destinations in 13 countries and territories, including service to oneworld hubs in Sydney, Hong Kong, Los Angeles and, starting next month, Tokyo.
"Fiji Airways is thrilled and honored to be the first oneworld connect partner globally," said Andre Viljoen, Fiji Airways CEO. "We are delighted to link Fiji, and the South Pacific to the world's premier airline alliance and further deepen our relationships in particular with Qantas, American Airlines, British Airways and Cathay Pacific. This important step for our airline enables us to offer more services and benefits to our own customers along with the others in the oneworld family, to achieve a greater presence for our airline internationally and to build on the in-bound tourism that is so vital to our home nation and our region."
This is the first new membership program for oneworld, since the alliance began 20 years ago.
"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 percent of total industry revenues and capacity globally, and 70 percent of revenues between the world's top 125 business city airports," said Pekka Vauramo, CEO of Finnair and oneworld Governing Board Chairman.
"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 centers. Meantime, oneworld connect enables us to bring together more airlines to complement the alliance's global leaders, so customers can earn rewards and feel recognized while traveling even further."
Being likened to a oneworld "lite" membership, the new alliance will offer some of the same connectivity, lounge access and frequent flier mileage sharing available to members of the larger alliance but on a more limited basis.
To join, each oneworld connect partner will need to be sponsored by a minimum of three oneworld members. For Fiji Airways, sponsoring airlines included all four of oneworld's original founding members-American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas. Qantas is also set to mentor Fiji Airways through its oneworld connect implementation process.
American Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Qantas already have codeshare and frequent flyer agreements with Fiji Airways, while British Airways is in discussion with the airline for potential bilateral cooperation.
For travelers, the partnership means passengers with Emerald, Sapphire or Ruby status in any oneworld member airline's frequent flyer program will be able to use Fiji Airways priority check-in desks, where available. Customers with Emerald or Sapphire status will also be offered priority boarding.
Additional benefits include:
Through check-in of passengers and their baggage for flights between a connect carrier and any of its oneworld sponsors.
-The ability to earn and redeem frequent flyer rewards, and earn frequent flyer status points, for eligible flights. (The oneworld connect partner must offer a frequent flyer program for passengers to utilize this perk.)
-Access to select lounges at key airports for First or Business Class passengers or those with eligible top-tier frequent flyer status.
-All oneworld connect partners will make their networks available via Global Explorer, the round-the-world fare offered by oneworld. (Fiji Airways already participates in this program.)
-All oneworld connect partners will be required to maintain IATA IOSA safety certification.
The new oneworld connect program will not affect the regular range of services and benefits for customers flying with full member airlines.
The new alliance is in discussion with other potential member airlines from around the world.
The start date for when Fiji Airways will begin offering oneworld connect services and benefits remains pending.
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