Qatar Airways to join oneworld

It received clearance to board oneworld after successfully completing a thorough review of its readiness, conducted by British Airways, which is sponsoring Qatar Airways’ entry into the alliance, with oneworld’s central team. 

Qatar Airways completes its oneworld implementation programme just one year after receiving its invitation to join, announced at a press conference in the alliance’s New York home in October 2012.  This will make its induction into oneworld one of the fastest in the alliance’s history.  Normally it takes around 18 months for any airline to be readied to enter any alliance.   

Qatar Airways’ addition to oneworld will come shortly before the airline moves into its new home base, Hamad International Airport, which has been designed to strengthen Doha’s position as a premium global hub, with an eventual capacity for 50 million passengers a year. 

From October 30, the three million members of Qatar Airways’ Privilege Club loyalty programme will enjoy frequent flyer privileges whenever they fly with any oneworld member airline, which include leading brands from each global region – airberlin, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines and some 30 affiliated airlines.  This includes earning and redeeming Qmiles for awards and earning Qpoints for tier status when flying with all these airlines.   

Privilege Club Platinum cardholders will have Emerald status in the oneworld program.  Privilege Club Gold will be equivalent to oneworld Sapphire and Privilege Club Silver will be oneworld Ruby. 

Privilege Club Platinum and Gold members will be able to access 550 airport lounges worldwide offered by oneworld member airlines when they fly with one of the alliance’s carriers.  Qatar Airways’ First and Business Class passengers will also be able to use oneworld partner airline lounges.   

Royal Jordanian President/CEO Amer Hadidi said: “We are glad that Qatar Airways will join the oneworld alliance, alongside Royal Jordanian, which was the first Arab carrier to gain the trust of any of the three global airline alliances few years ago. There will be two route networks that will complement each other to serve the Middle East region. 

“The cooperation between our two companies is not a novelty, since we both work together for the development of the air transport in the region under the umbrella of the Arab Air Carriers Organization.”

He added: “The award-winning Qatar Airways is a giant and well-regarded airline that has proved itself in a short course of time; its high-quality services, its young fleet, and robust and ever-growing route map will definitely boost the oneworld network. 

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said:  “In Qatar Airways’ relatively short history, we have quickly established a reputation for innovation, quality and excellence in everything we do.  We are pleased to build on that by becoming the only major airline from the Gulf to date to be joining any of the global airline alliances.  We are proud to entering the best of them, in oneworld – and to be doing so in record quick time.  We very much look forward to flying alongside some of the best airlines in the world from October 30, bringing heightened benefits offered by oneworld to our customers.” 

oneworld CEO Bruce Ashby added:  “Quality has always been the hallmark of oneworld, so we are pleased to be adding to our alliance another of the world’s highest quality airlines, in Qatar Airways.  oneworld aims to be the first choice alliance for frequent international travelers the world over.  Qatar Airways will significantly improve our connectivity between many of the destinations that are most important to those customers.  We look forward to welcoming it and its customers on board the world’s leading airline alliance.”