airberlin will become a full member of oneworld from Tuesday March 20th, adding Europe’s sixth largest carrier to the global airline alliance.

Austrian airline NIKI, also a member of the airberlin group, will join oneworld at the same time as an affiliate member.

airberlin received its green light to board oneworld after successfully completing a thorough review of its readiness conducted by British Airways, which is sponsoring its entry into the alliance, with the oneworld central team.

It will add almost 70 destinations to the alliance’s map, extending oneworld’s global coverage to some 840 destinations in 150 countries.

The network is served by more than 9,000 departures a day operated by a combined fleet of some 2,500 aircraft, carrying nearly 300 million passengers a year, with annual revenues of almost US$100 billion.

Joining oneworld will strengthen airberlin’s competitiveness, enabling it to offer customers an unrivalled alliance global network served by partners including some of the best and biggest airlines in the world. 

oneworld chief executive, Bruce Ashby, said: “airberlin makes an ideal oneworld partner.

“It has an excellent reputation for customer service - right in line with oneworld’s focus on quality. 

“oneworld already features five of Europe’s best airlines. 

“Adding the continent’s sixth biggest carrier and the second largest airline based in the continent’s biggest economy will greatly enhance our coverage throughout this region and, with the other airlines joining us this year, position oneworld more strongly still as the alliance of choice, particularly for global business travellers.”

oneworld is considered the World’s Leading Airline Alliance by the World Travel Awards.