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oneworld is a worldwide airline alliance. As of 2005 it is the third largest after Star Alliance and SkyTeam. Member airlines and their affiliates enjoy a high degree of co-operation in scheduling, ticketing, code sharing, flight transfer operations, frequent flyer benefits, shared airport lounges, reducing costs, and sharing best practices. Oneworld was the first airline alliance to establish a central management. Based in Vancouver, Canada, it has a Managing Director, reporting to the alliance board, which is made up of the Chief Executives of each of the member airlines. Chairman of the board is held on a rotating basis. Reporting to the Managing Partner are function heads for Commercial, IT, Public Relations, Airports and Customer Service, and a Global Project Director. Member airlines also develop common specifications as widely as possible across their engineering and maintenance activities, aligning their policies and procedures and work together to develop and support solutions that can be applied throughout the airline industry. Costs are also reduced through bulk buying and by sharing parts between one another. The alliance reaches over 600 destinations in 135 countries around the world, operating over 8000 daily flights. In 2004 Oneworld carried over 230 million passengers on a combined fleet of some 2000 aircraft. It is the only airline alliance whose members earned a combined profit in the past year - US$1.5 billion net, against combined losses by Star carriers totalling more than US$2.2 billion and an overall deficit by SkyTeam's members in excess of US$7 billion. Its existing members currently serve 135 countries and 609 destinations. With Japan Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Malév, LAN Ecuador and LAN Argentina expected to join late in quarter one of 2007, the Oneworld map will extend to 686 destinations in 140 countries and territories. Aer Lingus has confirmed that intends to leave the alliance on the 1st of April 2007. Oneworld was voted the world's best airline alliance in the 2004 Business Traveller Awards and named the World's Leading Airline Alliance for the fourth consecutive year at the 2006 World Travel Awards.
Membership history For a time during 2003, British Airways and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines begin discussions on a possible merger, which would significantly increase the size of Oneworld, bringing KLM's strategic partner Northwest Airlines into the enlarged alliance. However, the talks are fruitless and KLM merges with Air France the following year, creating the world's largest airline in Air France-KLM and significantly boosting Skyteam, making it the second largest alliance after Star Alliance. All Oneworld airlines serving Madrid move into the new Terminal 4 on 5 February. The airport is the home base for member Iberia. At New York JFK, Malév moved to Terminal 8 to join American Airlines and Finnair. On May 30, Aer Lingus confirms its intention to leave the alliance as it repositions itself as a low-fares carrier, but will retain bilateral links with a number of the grouping's member airlines. The timing and terms for its withdrawal will be considered at the next meeting of the alliance's Governing Board, but it is likely to be in early 2007. Royal Jordanian moves to Domodedovo airport in Moscow, Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris and to Terminal 4 at New York JFK in order to better transfers between it and other oneworld airlines. In September, it was announced that Malév is the firstof the new recruits to complete Interline Electronic Ticketing arrangements with all other oneworld airlines. Current (including regional subsidaries) Note+: The founding members of the Oneworld Alliance. NoteΔ: Aer Lingus plans to leave the Oneworld Alliance in April 2007 Former Note+: A founding member of the Oneworld Alliance. Future Potential future members Although the alliance is now currently growing by recruiting new members after years of limiting its membership to eight carriers, Oneworld prepares to accept a future membership of 12 carriers, and no more, in order to prevent the alliance from becoming unwieldy. * Premium status Oneworld has three premium levels - Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald - based on a customer's tier status in a member carrier's frequent flyer program. Each of the member airlines recognizes the elite statuses, with a few exceptions. The statuses have no specific requirements of their own; membership is based solely on the frequent flyer programs of individual member airlines. Oneworld Ruby Oneworld Ruby status is awarded to customers who have reached the premium level of a member carrier's frequent flyer program. Benefits of Oneworld Ruby membership: Membership tiers granting Oneworld Ruby: Oneworld Sapphire Oneworld Sapphire status is awarded to customers who have reached the higher premium level of a member carrier's frequent flyer program. Benefits of Oneworld Sapphire membership: Membership tiers granting Oneworld Sapphire: Oneworld Emerald Oneworld Emerald status is awarded to customers who have reached the highest premium level of a member carrier's frequent flyer program. Benefits of Oneworld Emerald membership: Membership tiers granting Oneworld Emerald: Destinations See also | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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