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SRILANKA ONEW
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FEATURE SRILANKA ONEWORLD
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SriLankan Airlines Joins oneworld

First carrier in the subcontinent to join global airlines grouping By Subodh Agarwal

srIlAnkAn AIrlInes hAs become ‘oneworld’ chief executive Bruce Ashby. nishantha Wickremasinghe says: “With
the first carrier in the subcontinent to Ashby also hopes to have Indian the world airline industry increasingly
join global airlines grouping oneworld, passenger airlines on board the alliance focused on alliances, joining oneworld is
thereby strengthening its reach in the key soon. “The club always scouts for the best one of the most significant developments
India market. airline in the world and as and when it to date for SriLankan Airlines. Joining
The national carrier of Sri Lanka, comes across any such carrier, it will be the alliance will help put SriLankan more
which formally joins oneWorld alliance open to induct it,” he says. firmly on the global aviation map and
on May 1, will be flying alongside some On the eve of its entry into oneworld, vastly improve Sri Lanka’s connectivity
of the world’s leading airlines including SriLankan Airlines concluded code-share with the rest of the world, which is vital for
American Airlines, British Airways, agreements with two more oneworld our country’s trade and tourism.”
Cathay Pacific and several other member- members, Finnair and Russia’s S7 SriLankan Airlines expects to earn $25
airlines. It will also give it access to over Airlines. million revenues after joining oneworld.
1,000 airports in 150 countries and a SriLankan Airlines already has a code- SriLankan received clearance from
combined fleet of some 3,300 aircraft. share agreement with Malaysian Airlines, oneworld to join its alliance only after
Though SriLankan is a relatively small which is also a oneworld member. the airline successfully completed a
carrier with a fleet of 21 aircraft, it will Ashby says, “The addition of SriLankan full review of its readiness conducted by
help the alliance reach new destinations Airlines concludes what has been the Cathay Pacific which sponsored its entry
in attractive markets. It dominates biggest and fastest growth program into the alliance.
traffic to the Maldives, a popular leisure by any global airline alliance, enabling Air India is preparing to join the
destination. Through Colombo, it also has oneworld to consolidate its position as the Star Alliance sometime in June or July.
a significant network in Southern India. first choice global alliance for frequent India’s national carrier began the process
“SriLankan is already participating international travelers the world over.” of joining the grouping in December
in Global Explorer, the round-the-world The airline has virtually doubled in 2007 but in August 2011, the airline’s
fare offered by all oneworld members size since peace returned to its home application for membership was put on
and various airlines that are not part of country four years ago and plans further hold due to apprehensions expressed by
the alliance. SriLankan Airlines network substantial expansion to its fleet and other carriers that the airline would take
will be covered by oneworld’s full range of network in the next few years. more time to meet the minimum joining
alliance fares, the most extensive offered It operates a fleet of 21 aircraft – conditions due to the merger.
by any of the global alliances, including including eight Airbus A320s/321s, seven Air India’s Chairman Rohit nandan
the market-leading Oneworld Explorer A330-200s and six A340-300s– and has says the airline has already completed
round-the-world fare,” an airline official orders for 10 new aircraft, including four 45 of the 64 requirements for joining the
says. A350-900s. Alliance and will finish the remaining
SriLankan’s official entry into the club Its destinations include oneworld hubs in May.“Some work, mostly related to
of premier airlines was announced at a Doha, Hong Kong, London Heathrow,Kuala information technology aspects, will be
grand ceremony at Mattala Rajapaksa Lumpur, Moscow Domodedovo and Tokyo completed by mid-May. Then we are set,”
International Airport in Hambantota,by its narita, along with Bangkok and Singapore. nandan says.
Chairman nishantha Vikremasinghe and SriLankan Airlines’ Chairman
26 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS MAY / JUNE 2014 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM