Oneworld announced Thursday that Russia's S7 Airlines will officially become a full member of the alliance on Nov. 15. The carrier, which began the process of joining oneworld last year with British Airways as its sponsor (ATW Daily News, May 27, 2009), will become the alliance's 11th member.
It becomes the second Russian airline to join a global alliance; Aeroflot became a SkyTeam member in 2006. S7, Russia's top domestic carrier by traffic, will add 55 destinations to oneworld's network including linking the alliance to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. "This will almost triple the number of destinations served by oneworld in Russia, the CIS and other parts of East Europe to a total 84 destinations in 26 countries," oneworld said. Current members BA, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malev and Royal Jordanian all serve Moscow.
"Work is well advanced in linking up S7's IT systems to those of oneworld's established members," the alliance said in a statement. "Projects are also nearing completion to bring S7's various internal processes and procedures into line with the alliance's requirements, and extensive employee training and communications programs are now underway at the S7 and the alliance's existing members."
Oneworld Managing Partner John McCulloch added, "S7 will expand oneworld's network substantially in a key region of growing travel demand, with a carrier that matches our demanding quality requirements, while enabling S7 to offer its customers a truly global network."
S7 CEO Vladimir Obyedkov noted that "becoming part of oneworld will be one of the most significant steps in S7's history…It will also strengthen us financially through revenues from passengers transferring to our network from our oneworld partners and the cost reduction opportunities the alliance offers."
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It becomes the second Russian airline to join a global alliance; Aeroflot became a SkyTeam member in 2006. S7, Russia's top domestic carrier by traffic, will add 55 destinations to oneworld's network including linking the alliance to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. "This will almost triple the number of destinations served by oneworld in Russia, the CIS and other parts of East Europe to a total 84 destinations in 26 countries," oneworld said. Current members BA, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malev and Royal Jordanian all serve Moscow.
"Work is well advanced in linking up S7's IT systems to those of oneworld's established members," the alliance said in a statement. "Projects are also nearing completion to bring S7's various internal processes and procedures into line with the alliance's requirements, and extensive employee training and communications programs are now underway at the S7 and the alliance's existing members."
Oneworld Managing Partner John McCulloch added, "S7 will expand oneworld's network substantially in a key region of growing travel demand, with a carrier that matches our demanding quality requirements, while enabling S7 to offer its customers a truly global network."
S7 CEO Vladimir Obyedkov noted that "becoming part of oneworld will be one of the most significant steps in S7's history…It will also strengthen us financially through revenues from passengers transferring to our network from our oneworld partners and the cost reduction opportunities the alliance offers."
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