Alaska Airlines to Join OneWorld Alliance Earlier Than Expected
Alaska Airlines announced in February that it would join the oneworld alliance as a full-fledged member in the summer of 2021. But it seems that it will happen earlier, and most likely this year.
Alaska Airlines CEO Brad Tilden said that Alaska Airlines intends to join the oneworld alliance earlier than initially expected. A formal invite to join oneworld is expected this month, and then Alaska Airlines could be a full alliance member in 2020. “What we’re hoping for is for the formal invite to come this month and join by the end of the year,” Tilden said during a recent webinar conversation organized with Aviation Week.
Until now, Alaska Airlines was the only major North American carrier with no connection to a global airline alliance. Alaska Airlines already has partnerships with several oneworld airlines such as American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and more. “It’s on quite a fast track,” Tilden said during the 60-minute fireside chat-style conversation with Karen Walker, Editor-in-Chief of the aviation trade magazine’s, Air Transport World.
“It was the obvious choice for us,” Tilden said about oneword. “Our job is to build loyalty in our core local markets and that’s what we bring,” he said.
Oneworld airlines compete for business against the Star Alliance’s 26-member airline group led by giant United Airlines, and the Delta Air Lines-backed Sky Team group of 20 airlines.
