Five leading airlines to launch oneworld global alliance

22 septembre 1998

Five of the world's leading airlines - American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways and Qantas Airways - today announced a new, customer-driven global alliance.

Today's unveiling of the oneworld™ brand launches a multi-million pound programme designed to raise the standard of global air travel.

From early next year, the five airlines will together phase in a wide range of initiatives designed to provide greater customer benefits, including more information and support, greater value and increased opportunities for rewards and recognition.

oneworld will enable each carrier to offer customers services and products that it cannot provide by itself, responding to changes in the global airline marketplace.

These will include:

  • Smoother transfers for passengers travelling across the global networks of the five carriers.
  • Greater support, with employees of each airline equipped to assist and care for customers travelling with any of the oneworld airlines.
  • Greater value, through a range of round-the-world products.

The intention to enhance existing co-operation between the airlines in the field of frequent flyer programmes, enabling them in particular to provide more mileage awards, wider recognition for top-tier customers and access to more airport clubs and lounges.

Further details on all aspects of the oneworld customer benefits will be unveiled in the coming months.

The shared oneworld brand augments existing relationships between American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways and Qantas Airways.

While it does not specifically apply to their cargo activities, the airlines involved are working on a series of initiatives to enable them to offer improved services to their freight and mail customers.

Today's announcement is the culmination of months of planning by teams from the five airlines, built on their established relationships and based on research conducted among travellers on all six continents.

It initiates what will be one of the world's biggest employee communications and training programmes, involving virtually all of the 220 000 people working for the five partner airlines, designed to ensure they can deliver what the oneworld brand promises when its services are introduced.

Other carriers may be invited to participate in oneworld in the future.

The oneworld name and logo will supplement each airline's own corporate identity, appearing alongside their logos on airport and other signage, timetables and printed materials.

Joint advertising is planned in key markets around the world to help position oneworld through the slogan "oneworld revolves around you".

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