oneworld adds more benefits for top tier frequent flyers

oneworld^® today unveiled two more benefits for the most regular customers of its member airlines, as part of its strategy of positioning itself as the first choice airline alliance for frequent international travelers.

From midnight tonight, frequent flyer cardholders with oneworld Emerald status will be entitled to:

• An extra checked baggage allowance, above the standard limit for the cabin class in which they are traveling - either one additional item where the piece concept applies, or an extra 20 kg (44 lbs) where the weight concept applies - when they fly on any oneworld member airline.
• Use fast track lanes through security when flying from select key airports worldwide on select oneworld member airlines.

These new benefits are in addition to those already offered to frequent flyers with oneworld Emerald status when flying on any oneworld member airline in any class, including:

• Earning mileage rewards and tier status points.
• Access to First Class or Business Class lounges on departure, accompanied by a guest. oneworld is the only alliance to offer top tier frequent flyers access to First Class lounges when they are not booked to travel in the First Class cabin.
• Ability to check-in at First Class or Business Class desks.
• Priority boarding.
• Priority on waitlists and when on standby if a flight is fully booked.
• Access to preferred and pre-reserved seating when offered by the airline operating the flight.

Emerald is the highest status in the oneworld frequent flyer programme.  It is held by:

• airberlin topbonus Platinum cardholders.
• American Airlines AAdvantage Executive Platinum.
• British Airways Executive Club Gold.
• Cathay Pacific Marco Polo Club Diamond.
• Finnair Plus Platinum.
• Iberia Plus Platinum.
• Japan Airlines Mileage Bank (JMB) Diamond and JAL Global Club (JGC) Premier.
• LAN's LANPASS Comodoro.
• Malaysia Airlines Enrich Platinum, from midnight tonight.
• Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum One and Platinum.
• Royal Jordanian Royal Plus Platinum.
• S7 Priority Platinum.

oneworld Chief Executive Bruce Ashby said: "oneworld aims to be the first choice airline alliance for regular international travellers.  Our frequent flyer benefits - which we believe are the most compelling offered by any airline alliance - provide them with the highest levels of recognition, services and benefits when they need to travel beyond their home airline's own network."

The introduction of these new benefits coincides with the addition of Malaysia Airlines, one of Asia's leading carriers, to oneworld.  From midnight tonight, the 2 million members of its Enrich loyalty programme will enjoy oneworld's frequent flyer services and benefits whenever they fly with any oneworld partner airline - airberlin, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN Airlines, Qantas, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines and some 30 affiliated airlines - to any of the 850 destinations they serve worldwide. 

This includes earning and redeeming mileage awards and earning tier status points when flying with all these airlines.  (See notes below)

Enrich Platinum cardholders will have Emerald status in the oneworld programme.  Enrich Gold will be equivalent to oneworld Sapphire and Enrich Silver will be oneworld Ruby.

From midnight tonight, Enrich Platinum and Gold cardholders will be able to use any of the 550 airport lounges worldwide offered by oneworld member airlines whenever they fly with any of the alliance's carriers.  (See notes below)

At the same time, the 125 million members of the established oneworld airlines' frequent flyer programmes will be able to earn and redeem awards and tier status points and receive all other oneworld benefits when flying Malaysia Airlines.  (See notes below)

With the two new enhancements announced today, these are the benefits offered to oneworld Emerald, Sapphire and Ruby cardholders in any oneworld member airline's frequent flyer programme when flying in any cabin class on any oneworld member airline:

oneworld tier benefits	Ruby	Sapphire	Emerald
Enrich card	Silver	Gold	Platinum
Access to Business Class priority check-in	•	•	•
Access to preferred or pre-reserved seating*	•	•	•
Priority on waitlists and when on standby	•	•	•
Access to Business Class lounges		•	•
Priority boarding		•	•
Fast track at security lanes at select airports			•
Extra baggage allowance			•
Access to First Class priority check-in			•
Access to First Class lounges			•

Notes

Because of an impending upgrade to LAN's frequent flyer information technology system, members of Malaysia Airlines' Enrich and LAN's LANPASS programmes will experience reciprocal frequent flyer rewards and benefits when flying on each other's airlines from 1 April 2013.

Preferred and pre-reserved seating is offered in line with the individual policy of the oneworld member airline operating the flight. Fast track at security lanes is available at selected airports (check oneworld.com for details).

About Malaysia Airlines

Malaysia Airlines serves more than 60 destinations in almost 30 countries across Asia, Australasia, Middle East, Europe, and North America, including oneworld hubs Hong Kong, London Heathrow, Los Angeles, Sydney and Tokyo Narita.

Its present fleet of 88 aircraft - including its flagship Airbus A380s - operates more than 250 departures a day. It boarded 13 million passengers in 2011, generating revenues of MYR 13.6 billion (US$ 4.5 billion).

Malaysia Airlines describes its distinctive brand as an extension of the special culture of warmth and friendliness unique to Malaysians. This inimitable Malaysian sense of graciousness is branded as "Malaysian Hospitality" and symbolized by the acronym MH, which is also the airline's flight code.

Both Malaysia Airlines and its Kuala Lumpur hub are among the industry's most frequent winners of awards for quality service. Malaysia Airlines itself has won the World's Best Cabin Staff title from the UK based Skytrax airline quality rating agency in seven of the past 11 years.

Last year, Malaysia Airlines marked the entry of its first A380 into its fleet by having its Five-Star Airline status renewed by Skytrax - as the airline embarked on a series of improvements to reposition it as a premium carrier.

About oneworld

oneworld is an alliance of the world's leading airlines committed to providing the highest level of service and convenience to frequent international travellers. oneworld airlines include airberlin, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Royal Jordanian and S7 Airlines, and around 30 affiliates. SriLankan Airlines and Qatar Airways are on track to join soon.

Between them, these airlines:

• Serve some 860 airports in almost 160 countries, with more than 9,300 daily departures.
• Carry almost a million passengers a day on a combined fleet of more than 2,500 aircraft.
• Generate nearly US$ 120 billion annual revenues in total.

oneworld member airlines work together to deliver consistently a superior, seamless travel experience, with special privileges and rewards for frequent flyers, including earning and redeeming miles and points across the entire alliance network. Top tier cardholders (Emerald and Sapphire) enjoy access to some 550 airport lounges. The most regular travellers (Emerald) can also use fast track security lanes at select airports and extra baggage allowances.

oneworld is currently the holder of three leading international awards for airline alliances - named the Best Airline Alliance by Global Traveler in its GT Tested Reader Survey 2012 Awards for the third year running, the World's Leading Airline Alliance in the 2012 World Travel Awards for the 10th year running, and Australian Business Traveller Best Airline Alliance in 2012 for the second year running.