Added: 06/27/2005 |
oneworld Alliance ? One for AllThis year best airlines Cathay Pacific and Qantas are not good airlines themselves only. They are also members of one airline alliance, which is called oneworld Alliance. This alliance was created to reach the following aims: more convenient and comfortable global scale traveling; uniting the air carriers networks in one global network to offer the best travel solutions; the highest possible quality of provided service and providing more rewarding benefits. Generally, it would be a kind of traveling reality, where all travelers could be at home.
It was September 1998 when oneworld Alliance was started. It was founded by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Qantas Airways. It took several months to finish all the creating work, so only in February 1999 the alliance's benefits of oneworld Alliance were started to be provided. In 1999 Iberia Airlines and Finnair joined oneworld, as Aer Lingus and LanChile did in 2000.
Unfortunately, Canadian Airlines was merged with Air Canada due to financial difficulties, and became a part of oneworld's rival - Star Alliance. In 2003 a newcomer appeared in oneworld Alliance - Swiss International Airlines agreed to join oneworld and to make a strategic deal with British Airways. This didn't last long - in 2004 Swiss Airlines broke the agreement with British Airways and decided finally not to become a part of Oneworld Alliance. In 2005 Swiss Airlines repeated the way of Canadian Airways, with Lufthansa playing a role of Air Canada.
This story almost repeated again with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines - it could merge with British Airways and also bring a new member of alliance, a strategic partner of KLM - Northwest Airlines. As we know, at last a merging agreement between KLM and Air France was signed, enlarging Skyteam Alliance instead of oneworld.
Oneworld pioneered the way of central controlling of the alliance. Its headquarters lays in Vancouver, Canada. Each member airline has its own Chief Executive in its crew, which connects the air carrier with the Alliance Managing director. In 2005 a new possible member claimed its wish to join oneworld - Hungarian carrier Malev Airlines declared 2006 as the year of joining after reaching a required level of development.
Should these intentions become a reality, one would count nine members in oneworld, such as: Aer Lingus, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia Airlines, Lan, Qantas and Malev. This number doesn't include regional subsidiaries of these airlines, which are also the members of the Alliance. The soon joining of such air carriers as Japan Airlines, Tam Airlines, Mexicana and Air China is also possible.
Last year oneworld Alliance was the best alliance in the world due to Business Traveler Awards. With such potential, constantly improving specifications and maintenance performing it could become the best airline alliance once again, appealing other airlines to become its members and raising the level of air traveling quality standards.
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