Oneworld completes biggest expansion since launch
By Tue Apr 29, 2014
SriLankan's induction into oneworld marks the completion of the alliance's biggest expansion programme since its launch 15 years ago. In just two years, the group has added more than 15 airlines as full or affiliate members, including:
• TAM Airlines, the leading airline in Latin America's leading economy Brazil, which joined on 31 March 2014 alongside its partner in LATAM Airlines Group, long-time oneworld member LAN Airlines, consolidating oneworld's position as the continent's top alliance.
• US Airways, which also transitioned to oneworld on 31 March 2014, following its merger with American Airlines, which created the world's largest airline on most scores and makes oneworld the leading alliance in the USA, the world's biggest single air travel market.
• Qatar Airways, which joined on 30 October 2013 as the first of the Big Three Gulf carriers to join any global airline group, making oneworld the leading alliance in the Middle East, another of the world's fastest growing regions for air travel demand.
• Malaysia Airlines, one of South East Asia's top carriers, which joined on 1 February 2013.
• airberlin, the second biggest airline in Europe's largest economy, Germany, and one of the continent's biggest carriers, which boarded in March 2012.
• Key affiliate members, such as LAN Colombia, US Airways Express, Iberia Express, Austria's Niki and transatlantic carrier OpenSkies.
This has made oneworld the world's fastest growing airline alliance:
• Adding more than 250 destinations, expanding its network by 36 per cent.
• Increasing its daily departures by more than 6,000, a 76 per cent increase.
• Lifting its annual passenger carryings by more than 215 million, a 74 per cent rise.
• Expanding the annual capacity offered by the alliance by 56 per cent and its combined fleet by 50 per cent.
• Generating an additional US$ 40 million revenues, a 40 per cent increase.
• Adding 5 points to its share of revenues between the world's Top 100 business cities, which is now at 26 per cent.
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