Malaysia Airlines to join oneworld in February
Malaysia Airlines will become a full member of oneworld on February 1st 2013, adding one of commercial aviation’s most frequent award winners to the world’s leading quality airline alliance.
The national airline of Malaysia received clearance to board oneworld after successfully completing a thorough review of its readiness conducted by Qantas, which is sponsoring its entry into the alliance, with the oneworld central team.
While its alliance implementation programme is on track for completion in the coming weeks, its addition to oneworld is being held until the beginning of 2013 to avoid the end-of-year holiday season and for other administrative reasons.
Malaysia Airlines will start offering oneworld’s full range of services and benefits from February 1st 2013 - becoming the alliance’s second airline operating the Airbus A380, after its oneworld sponsor Qantas.
From then, the two million members of Malaysia Airlines’ Enrich loyalty programme will, in effect, have their frequent flyer privileges extended to whenever they fly with any oneworld member airline - airberlin, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN Airlines, Qantas, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines and some 25 affiliated airlines.
This includes earning and redeeming mileage awards and earning tier status points when flying with all these airlines.
Enrich Platinum cardholders will have Emerald status in the oneworld programme.
Enrich Gold will be equivalent to oneworld Sapphire and Enrich Silver will be oneworld Ruby.
From February 1st, Enrich Platinum and Gold members will be able to use any of the 550 airport lounges worldwide offered by oneworld member airlines whenever they fly with any of the alliance’s carriers.
Malaysia Airlines’ First and Business Class passengers will also be able to use oneworld partner airline lounges.
Malaysia Airlines chief executive Ahmad Jauhari Yahya added: “oneworld membership represents one of the most significant achievements to date for Malaysia Airlines.
“It will strengthen our competitive position considerably, enabling our customers to enjoy a truly global network together with our partners who include some of the best and biggest airlines in the world, while enabling us also to tap into all the financial benefits that come from being part of a global alliance, through additional passenger feed and cost reduction opportunities.
“We are very pleased and proud to join what is clearly the world’s top quality airline grouping on February 1st.”
oneworld is considered the World’s Leading Airline Alliance by the World Travel Awards.