Malaysia and oneworld

Malaysia Airlines will become a full member of oneworld airline alliance from Friday 1 February 2013.  The national airline of Malaysia received clearance to join after successfully completing a thorough review of its readiness conducted by Qantas, which is sponsoring its entry into the alliance, together 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 become the alliance’s second airline operating the Airbus A380, after its oneworld sponsor Qantas. 

2013 is likely to be an important year for oneworld with not only Malaysia joining but also another significant carrier, Qatar Airways, which is currently working on its compliance requirements and is set to become a full member later this year.  However there is a cloud over airberlin, an existing member, whose ownership includes Etihad Airways, the Abu Dhabi based carrier, which is increasingly getting closer to the rival Skyteam partnership. 
 
Malaysia Airlines will substantially expand the alliance’s network in South East Asia, where it will add 14 destinations and one country – Brunei – to the oneworld map. www.malaysia.com

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