SriLankan Airlines joins oneworld

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0a11_2042
Avatar of Linda Hohnholz
Written by Linda Hohnholz

SriLankan Airlines becomes part of oneworld® from midnight tonight, offering the full range of services and benefits of the world’s fastest growing and highest rated global airline alliance.

SriLankan Airlines becomes part of oneworld® from midnight tonight, offering the full range of services and benefits of the world’s fastest growing and highest rated global airline alliance.

It becomes the first carrier from the Indian subcontinent to join any of the global airline alliances – and completes oneworld’s biggest expansion programme since the alliance was launched 15 years ago.

These landmarks are being celebrated today at a ceremony attended by the key ministers from Sri Lanka’s government at South Asia’s newest international airport, Hambantota’s Mattala Rajapaksa International, serving Sri Lanka’s South and East Coasts and Hambantota’s sea port.

From midnight, the flag carrier of Sri Lanka will be flying alongside some of the world’s leading carriers:

Asia-Pacific’s Cathay Pacific Airways, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Australia’s Qantas.

From Europe, airberlin, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia and Russia’s S7 Airlines.

In the Middle East, Qatar Airways – the only one of the Big Three Gulf carriers to be part of any alliance – and Royal Jordanian.

In North America, American Airlines and its US Airways merger partner.
In South America LAN Airlines and its partner in LATAM Airlines Group, TAM Airlines.

SriLankan’s first flight as part of oneworld will be UL318 departing from Colombo to the Kuala Lumpur hub of oneworld partner Malaysia Airlines at 7.45 am tomorrow (1 May).

The airline’s addition to oneworld will bring two new destinations on to the alliance network – Hambantota itself plus India’s Tiruchirapalli – along with its Colombo base as a new oneworld hub. With an extensive schedule serving southern India and as the leading international airline serving the Maldives, SriLankan also significantly strengthens oneworld’s presence throughout South Asia, one of the world’s fastest growing regions for air travel demand.

With SriLankan, oneworld:

Serves almost 1,000 airports in 150 countries, with 14,250 daily departures.

Carries more than 500 million passengers a year on a combined fleet of some 3,300 aircraft.

Generates US$ 140 billion annual revenues.

Offers more than 600 airport lounges, including many frequently rated the as the world’s best.

What it means for frequent flyers and other customers

From 0001 Colombo time tonight, the 300,000 members of SriLankan’s FlySmiLes loyalty programme will, in effect, have their frequent flyer privileges extended to whenever they fly on oneworld member airlines – including earning rewards and tier status points plus the ability to redeem rewards for flights throughout the alliance network.

Also from tonight, the 180 million members of the established oneworld airlines’ frequent flyer programmes will be able to earn rewards and tier status points and receive all other oneworld benefits when flying on SriLankan and redeem awards on the airline’s network.

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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