oneworld, the global airline alliance, celebrated its 25th anniversary this year on 3 June 2024 with a press briefing during the IATA AGM in Dubai. oneworld’s Chairman, its member CEOs and the alliance’s new CEO praised oneworld’s growth and increasing customer relevance.
“I’m proud to mark the creation of the oneworld alliance. Since its inception 25 years ago, the alliance has raised the bar in customer service and forged a common bond between the world’s leading airlines. We have never wavered in our commitment to enhance the customer experience every day, on every flight.”
Robert Isom, oneworld Chairman and American Airlines CEO
oneworld is a global alliance founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas. Today there are 13 airline members. Alliance members include Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian and SriLankan Airlines.
The alliance aspects to triple in size by 2025, expanding from the original four founding members to fifteen in the next 12 months, with Oman Air and Fiji Airways joining the alliance as full members.
Together, oneworld airlines operate over 4.5 million flights, carrying more than 500 million passengers annually, including a staggering 212 million loyalty programmes’ members. With a combined fleet of over 3,400 aircraft and 13,000 daily flights, oneworld member airlines have united customers, countries, and businesses across the globe. More than nine billion passengers have flown with oneworld member airlines since its inception – a phenomenal number, highlighting its status as the world’s leading airline alliance.
With oneworld celebrating its 25th anniversary, the primary focus of new alliance CEO Nat Pieper is enhancement of all aspects of the guest travel experience, including an ambitious premium lounge strategy, an alliance-wide oneworld upgrade programme, and deeper more personalised digital capabilities.
Earlier this year, oneworld opened its first branded premium lounges in Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in The Netherlands and Incheon International Airport, Seoul in South Korea.
Over 45,000 guests have experienced the new oneworld premium offering, launched in partnership with Swissport and the team behind its ASPIRE Airport Lounges.
In March this year, oneWorld launched the oneworld upgrade programme which provides a new, valuable way for alliance frequent flyers to use their miles and points to upgrade across member airlines. The first phase launched by American Airlines and Qantas enabled AAdvantage customers to use their miles for upgrades on Qantas-operated flights. The reciprocal offering for Qantas Frequent Flyers to use their Qantas points for upgrades for American Airlines operated flights is already in development and will be enabled in the coming months.
The alliance will also continue to pioneer its digital transformation to elevate the personalised guest experience, providing customers with self-servicing tools to manage their journey.
In April this year, oneworld partnered with The Connaught in London to serve up ‘The 25’, a new, signature cocktail to mark its 25th anniversary. ‘The 25’ cocktail was created by Ago Perrone, the world-renowned Director of Mixology at The Connaught Bar in Mayfair, London. It is a blend of London Dry Gin, Sweet Vermouth, Bitters, Mezcal and a unique oneworld and The Connaught Orange Grove essential oil. Similar to a negroni, it mixes a timeless Mediterranean character with a Mexican touch to produce a bright spirit and gentle blend with a globetrotting essence. A mocktail version blends a non-alcoholic London Dry Gin, Cranberry Juice, Mediterranean Tonic and the unique oneworld and The Connaught Orange Grove essential oil.
It was poured for the first time in side the Soho Lounge, part of the American Airlines and British Airways Joint Premium Lounges at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Terminal 8, which is available for oneworld Emerald and First Class customers travelling on oneworld member airlines. JFK Terminal 8 is home to nine oneworld member airlines – American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, and Royal Jordanian. In May and June, the cocktail and mocktail is being served at participating First Class Lounges across the oneworld network globally as well as in the new oneworld member airlines’ signature cocktails and mocktails, from around the world, for customers to enjoy and take part in the alliance’s 25th birthday celebrations.
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