Monday, June 6, 2011

Malaysia Airlines to join oneworld alliance

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airlines is to join oneworld alliance soon and expects to start flying as part of the alliance late next year.

In a statement Monday, June 6, MAS said it was unanimously elected a oneworld member designate by the Chief Executives of the alliance's member airlines, at a meeting on the sidelines of IATA's 2011 World Air Transport Summit, which opened in Singapore today.

'A formal alliance membership agreement will be completed soon,' it said.

The national carrier said it plans to to develop bilateral links with a number of oneworld's established partners, who include some of the biggest and best names in the airline industry.

It already code-shares with oneworld partners Cathay Pacific and Royal Jordanian.

MAS said that it becomes part of oneworld, its customers would gain access to the alliance's global network.

'It will expand oneworld's global coverage to almost 950 destinations in 150 countries, served by a combined fleet of more than 2,600 aircraft operating some 10,000 flights a day and carrying 358 million passengers a year,' said MAS.

The airline also said that opportunities for expanding the alliance's coverage of the country would be explored as Malaysia Airlines prepares to join.

'When it becomes part of oneworld, members of Malaysia Airlines' Enrich frequent flyer programme will be able to earn and redeem rewards on any of oneworld's 14 other top-class carriers, with top tier members able to use any of the group's 550 plus airport lounges, and its network will be covered by oneworld's range of alliance fares.

'At the same time, frequent flyer cardholders of oneworld's established airlines will be able to earn and redeem rewards when flying on Malaysia Airlines,' it said.

Qantas is serving as sponsor of Malaysia Airlines' entry into oneworld.

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