Japan Airlines (JAL), Malev Hungarian Airlines and Royal Jordanian Airlines will start offering oneworld services from 1 April 2007 in the biggest expansion of the global airline alliance since its…
Japan Airlines (JAL), Malev Hungarian Airlines and Royal Jordanian Airlines will start offering oneworld services from 1 April 2007 in the biggest expansion of the global airline alliance since its launch eight years ago.
Five other members of the JAL Group will join oneworld alongside Japan Airlines on the same day, as affiliates -JALways, Japan Asia Airways, JAL Express, J-AIR and Japan Transocean Air.
From 1 April 2007 some 20 million frequent flyers from all of these airlines will be able to earn and redeem mileage awards on all other oneworld carriers. Top-tier (Emerald and Sapphire) members will also have access to the 400 airport lounges worldwide offered by the alliance`s airlines.
Eligible members of these three programmes will soon be sent new membership cards, bearing the oneworld logo, to ensure they receive their alliance benefits from 1 April.
Also on 1 April 2007, Aer Lingus will withdraw from oneworld, with its focus on low fare point-to-point passengers no longer in line with oneworld`s strategy of providing services for premium, multi-sector, frequent, international travellers.
Three other airlines are lining up to become part of oneworld in 2007 – Dragonair, LAN Argentina and LAN Ecuador, all as affiliate members. Joining dates for these three carriers will be announced in due course.
JAL Group Chief Executive Haruka Nishimatsu said: We are delighted to announce that JAL will become a member of oneworld on April 1. By joining hands with the alliance`s nine other world-class airlines, we will be able further to strengthen the quality of our products and services, providing our customers with greater convenience, comfort, value and choice throughout the alliance`s comprehensive global network. Our strong market presence in Japan and elsewhere in Asia will enable us to take a leading role in oneworld`s strategy, and significantly enhance the competitiveness of this leading quality global alliance.
Following almost two intensive years of preparation for joining oneworld, my team and I are thrilled that the big day is almost upon us and we can`t wait to be fully fledged members of the alliance. We are convinced that oneworld membership is a win-win-win for Malev, for oneworld and, most importantly, for all our customers the world over, Malev Chief Executive Janos Gonci said.
Royal Jordanian Chief Executive Samer Majali stressed Membership of oneworld will create extensive opportunities for Royal Jordanian that will enable our airline to offer our customers greater and smoother access to a substantially more diverse network of destinations, with the help of our excellent stable of partners. Through RJ`s own wide-ranging regional network, we will provide the other oneworld airlines with markedly increased reach in the fast growing Middle East.
The three airlines will be oneworld`s first new recruits for more than six years. In the interim, the alliance`s focus was on helping its member airlines weather the worst financial crisis the industry has faced.
