Cathay Pacific Airways today welcomed the appointment of Maunu von Lueders in the new post of Vice-President Sales of the oneworldTM global airline alliance. His appointment marks the second anniversary of “the alliance that revolves around you”, which today comprises 31 carriers - full members Aer Lingus, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, LanChile and Qantas - and 23 affiliates.

Mr von Lueders joins from Finnair, where he is currently based at its Helsinki headquarters as Vice-President Alliances and International Relations. His mission is to build the revenue earned through oneworld by its member airlines. This will involve driving the development of sales initiatives and systems for oneworld, ensuring they all deliver the customer promise and positioning oneworld as the alliance of choice.

Between them, oneworld`s members generate almost US$50 billion a year in passenger sales. Even a one per cent increase overall as a result of oneworld activities would generate almost US$500 million in additional revenue.

Mr. von Lueders will be based in Vancouver, reporting to the alliance`s Managing Partner Peter Buecking and chairing the oneworld Sales Steering Group, comprising Sales Directors from the eight oneworld full members. He is the fourth director-level appointment to the oneworld Central Management Team, following its establishment last summer.

Welcoming the new appointment, Cathay Pacific Director Sales and Marketing James Barrington said: “Maunu brings a wealth of international experience to this key role at an important time in oneworld`s development. His knowledge and skills gained from working in a range of markets with different cultures is a great asset to our alliance.”

Since launching services and benefits on 1 February 1999, oneworld has expanded substantially, helped millions of travellers reach more places more easily, and firmly established itself as one of the world`s leading and most widely recognised brands.

Between them, the oneworld airlines already offer services to 565 destinations in 133 countries, with their 270,000 employees operating a total of more than 1,850 aircraft. In oneworld`s first two years of operation, the member airlines have:
* Carried some 410 million passengers - equivalent to one in 15 of the world population.
* Flown 4.5 billion miles - equivalent to around 25 return trips to the Sun.

* Operated around four million flights - with a oneworld airline departure somewhere around the world every 14 seconds.

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