The first airline to join in the new capacity as a oneworld connect partner will be Fiji Airways.

The initial oneworld sponsors of Fiji Airways will be all four of oneworld’s original founding members – Cathay Pacific, American Airlines, British Airways and Qantas. 

Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Officer Rupert Hogg said: “Cathay Pacific was proud to play our part in founding oneworld 20 years ago and establishing it as the leading quality alliance – and we are proud today to be playing our part again in getting this exciting new membership platform oneworld connect off the ground, as a sponsor of our long-term code-share partner Fiji Airways.”

oneworld Governing Board Chairman Pekka Vauramo, CEO of Finnair, added: “In the 20 years since oneworld’s conception in 1998, global airline alliances have expanded their breadth to the extent that they now account for 60 per cent of total industry revenues and capacity globally, and 70 per cent of revenues between the world’s top 125 business city airports.In the future, oneworld will target as full members large airlines that have a significant presence in the alliance’s prime target market, providing connections between the world’s leading business centres.  Meantime, oneworld connect enables us to bring together more airlines to complement the alliance’s global leaders, so customers can earn rewards and feel recognised while travelling even further.”

A date will be announced in due course for when Fiji Airways will start offering oneworld connect services and benefits.

oneworld is in discussion with other carriers interested in participating in the programme, from various parts of the world including the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe.

* For details and passenger / frequent flyer benefits of oneworld connect member airlines, please refer to the full release by oneworld .