oneworld Alliance welcomes Mexicana on board

Its subsidiaries MexicanaClick and MexicanaLink join oneworld at the same time, as affiliate members. All three airlines will offer the alliance's full range of services and benefits with the first flights tomorrow.

They extend the oneworld network to almost 700 destinations in nearly 150 countries, with a combined fleet of some 2,250 aircraft operating more than 8,000 flights a day, carrying 325 million passengers a year, with annual revenues of $100 billion.

A massive promotional program will be launched today to highlight the group's addition to the alliance.

Mexicana is offering passengers flying with the airline in the next four weeks the chance to win a pair of tickets for a trip of a lifetime right around the world, flying with its new oneworld partners.

A Mexicana Airbus A320 and MexicanaClick Boeing 717 were unveiled today at their Mexico City hub - decorated in oneworld's alliance livery.

oneworld's award-winning Travel and Charging Stations land for the first time in Latin America, installed today at Mexico City's Benito Juarez International Airport.

Mexicana's market-leading Mexican and Central American network are covered starting at midnight tonight by oneworld's full and extensive range of alliance fares and sales products - including its new Visit Mexico and Central America pass.

Mexicana's addition comes a day after oneworld was named the World's Leading Airline Alliance for the seventh year running in the World Travel Awards.

As it updates its Web site to mark the addition of Mexicana, oneworld is also enhancing its online services to include a Spanish version of its popular round-the-world booking tool, an iPhone flight search application and a complete mobile website for customers using Blackberrys, iPhones and other smartphones.

As of tomorrow, members of the MexicanaGO frequent flyer program can earn and redeem mileage awards on all oneworld partners, which include some of the biggest and best airlines in the world - American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN Airlines, Malev Hungarian Airlines, Qantas and Royal Jordanian and almost 20 affiliated airlines. Russia's leading domestic carrier S7 Airlines is on track to join during 2010.

MexicanaGO Conquer and Discover cardholders have oneworld Emerald and Sapphire status respectively, gaining them access to some 550 airport lounges worldwide offered by the alliance's airlines. Mexicana Explore cardholders have oneworld Ruby status.

The 21,000 customers in these top three MexicanaGO tiers have been sent new membership cards, bearing the oneworld logo, to ensure they receive their alliance benefits.

Also starting at midnight tonight, the 100 million members of the established oneworld airlines' frequent flyer programs will be able to earn and redeem awards and tier status points and receive all other oneworld benefits on Mexicana and its two affiliates.

As Mexicana joins oneworld, its logo will be added to thousands of oneworld signs at the 700 airports worldwide on its member airlines' networks, on the alliance's website and all oneworld branding used in its and its member airlines' advertising, publications and stationery, increasing awareness of Mexicana in the near 150 countries served by the alliance's carriers.

At the same time, Mexicana will be applying oneworld logos onto the fuselages of all 105 aircraft in its combined fleet and featuring the alliance emblem wherever its own Mexicana logo is featured.

Senior executives from all oneworld's member airlines gathered at Mexicana's Mexico City base today to welcome the alliance's new recruit on board, led by:

* Gerard Arpey, American Airlines Chairman and Chief Executive and current Chairman of oneworld's Governing Board.
* Antonio Vazquez, Chairman and Chief Executive of Iberia, which has been serving as Mexicana's oneworld sponsor, supporting it through its alliance joining program.
* John McCulloch, oneworld Managing Partner.

oneworld Governing Board Chairman, American Airlines Chief Executive Gerard Arpey, said: "oneworld is very selective about who we invite on board to join us as a new member. We only consider airlines with brands that match the quality of our established partners, who share our priorities of safety, customer service and profitability and who can expand our existing combined network in key regions, rather than simply replicating what we already offer. As the leading carrier in Mexico and Central America, Mexicana more than fits the bill. We are delighted to be welcoming it and its customers on board oneworld."

Iberia Chairman and Chief Executive Antonio Vazquez said: "Iberia has been honored to act as Mexicana's sponsor into oneworld, a process that has reinforced the excellent relations between both airlines. Mexicana will considerably strengthen oneworld's long established position as the leading airline alliance in the Spanish-speaking world and in Latin America, making it easier for more customers to reach more places more easily and for better value with some of the world's best airlines."

Mexicana Chief Executive Officer Manuel Borja said: "As a member of oneworld, we can now offer our customers more choice and convenience, a much more extensive global network, more opportunities to earn and redeem frequent flyer rewards, more lounges, more customer service support and better value - services and benefits beyond the reach of any individual airline. For Mexicana and our employees, becoming part of oneworld, flying alongside some of the most respected names in the airline industry worldwide, strengthens our position considerably in an increasingly competitive marketplace."