oneworld has launched a new platform for linking up to the airline alliance. The first airline to join in the new capacity as a oneworld connect partner will be Fiji Airways.
oneworld connect is the first new membership platform unveiled by oneworld since the alliance was originally announced 20 years ago.
oneworld 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 codeshare and have frequent flyer links with Fiji Airways. British Airways and Fiji Airways are currently discussing areas for potential bilateral cooperation.
oneworld Governing Board Chairman Pekka Vauramo, CEO of Finnair, said: “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.”
Fiji Airways CEO Andre Viljoen stated: “Fiji Airways is thrilled and honoured to be the first oneworld connect partner globally. We are delighted to link Fiji, and the South Pacific to the world’s premier airline alliance and deepening 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.”