Malaysia Airlines to join oneworld alliance
06-Jun-2011 The Chief Executives of the oneworld airlines have unanimously elected Malaysia Airlines as member designate of the alliance at a meeting on the sidelines of IATA’s 2011 World Air Transport Summit, which has opened in Singapore today.
Malaysia Airlines will become the alliance's 14th member and the 4th Asian airline to join oneworld after Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines and Kingfisher Airlines from India that will become a member during 2011. The national Malaysian airline is expected to join the alliance late next year. While it prepares for its alliance membership, Malaysia Airlines intends to develop bilateral links with a number of oneworld's established partners.
Malaysia Airlines membership in oneworld will expand the alliance's global coverage to almost 950 destinations in 150 countries, served by a combined fleet of more than 2,600 aircraft operating some 10,000 flights a day and carrying 358 million passengers a year.
Malaysia' main hub is in Kuala Lumpur. It currently employs 20,000 staff and flies to almos 100 destinations in more than 30 countries, among them 30 Asian cities such as Kota Bharu, Medan or Singapore. It carried 15.7 million passengers in 2010.
oneworld CEO Bruce Ashby said: "oneworld already features four of the best airlines in Asia-Pacific, including member elect Kingfisher Airlines. Adding another leading Asian carrier, in Malaysia Airlines, will greatly enhance oneworld's offering throughout the world's fast growing region for air travel demand".