Finnair Chief Executive Mika Vehvilไinen, American
Airlines President Tom Horton, Air Berlin Chief Executive Joachim Hunold,
British Airways Chief Executive Willie Walsh, and oneworld Managing
Partner John McCulloch announce the upcoming alliance.
Air Berlin is to join oneworld®, adding Europe’s
fifth largest airline and Germany’s second biggest carrier to the
world’s leading quality airline alliance.
Air Berlin group member Austria’s NIKI will become an
affiliate member of the alliance.
A memorandum of understanding between Air Berlin and
oneworld was completed in the airline’s Berlin home city at the end of
July, with a formal alliance membership agreement to be signed soon.
Air Berlin is expected to start flying as part of
oneworld in early 2012 - just weeks before the opening of the new Berlin
Brandenburg International Airport, which is being built as a major new
hub for Europe.
As a major player in the European air travel market,
Air Berlin served in 2009 a total of 160 destinations in some 40
countries, operating almost 600 daily departures. It carried 28 million
passengers, generating revenues of EUR3.2 billion (US$4.5 billion). As
of July 2010, Air Berlin operates a fleet of 165 aircraft, including
Austria’s NIKI, serving 168 destinations.
When it becomes part of oneworld, its customers will
gain access to an unrivalled global network. It will add almost 75
gateways to the oneworld map, expand the alliance’s coverage to almost
900 destinations in nearly 150 countries, served by a combined fleet of
2,500 aircraft operating some 9,500 flights a day and carrying 340
million passengers a year.
Members of Air Berlin’s topbonus frequent flyer
programme will be able to earn and redeem rewards on any of oneworld’s
13 other top-class carriers, with top tier members able to use any of
the group’s 550 plus airport lounges, and its network will be covered by
oneworld’s full range of alliance fares. Frequent flyer cardholders of
oneworld’s established airlines will be able to earn and redeem rewards
when flying Air Berlin.
As a starting point in its oneworld implementation,
Air Berlin will develop one-on-one co-operative agreements with key
established members of the alliance American Airlines and Finnair, to
take effect this coming winter season. Bilateral agreements with British
Airways and Iberia are planned to follow.
British Airways will support Air Berlin through its
oneworld implementation programme as its alliance sponsor.
The addition of Air Berlin as a member elect is the
latest significant step in what is turning into a breakthrough year for
oneworld as it builds further on its position as the world’s premier
airline alliance, expanding its unrivalled route network still further
and enabling it to offer even more services and benefits to customers.
All but one of the alliance’s existing carriers (with
Mexicana the exception) already serve Air Berlin’s German homeland - the
most populous country and the biggest economy in the European Union.
They will also be looking to expand their own services to its key hubs
Berlin and Dusseldorf as the new alliance recruit prepares to join the
group.
Air Berlin Chief Executive Joachim Hunold said,
“Joining a global alliance is the logical next step in Air Berlin’s
development. We are very pleased and proud to be lining up to join what
is clearly the world’s top quality airline grouping. Becoming part of
oneworld would be one of the most significant departures so far for our
airline, enabling us to offer our customers a truly global network
served by partners who include some of the best and biggest airlines in
the world. We look forward to completing all joining requirements as
soon as possible.”
Willie Walsh, Chief Executive of British Airways,
oneworld’s sponsor of Air Berlin said, “Air Berlin will make an ideal
oneworld partner. It has an excellent reputation for customer service -
right in line with oneworld’s focus on quality above quantity in terms
of membership. Its network is one of the best in Central Europe,
expanding the alliance’s coverage of this region markedly. British
Airways is delighted to be supporting Air Berlin’s addition to oneworld
by acting as its sponsor into the alliance - and we look forward to
establishing our bilateral co-operation.”
American Airlines’ Chairman and Chief Executive, and
oneworld Governing Board Chairman Gerard Arpey added, “oneworld already
features four of Europe’s best airlines. Adding the continent’s fifth
biggest carrier will greatly enhance our coverage throughout this
region. With all the other significant steps we are taking in this
breakthrough year for our alliance, this represents a great leap forward
in our journey to establish oneworld firmly as the world’s premier
airline alliance with members unmatched in brand and service quality.”
