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Alaskan to join Oneworld early
Alaska Airlines are currently an Avios partner meaning you can earn and redeem Avios on their flights. However, they are not part of oneworld which means you do not get any tier points. It has also caused problems when booking flights to Hawaii on an American Airlines codeshare but travelling Alaskan. The move to become a full one world partner will mean that you are able to earn Avios and tier points on AA codeshare flights as well as Alaskan tickets.
oneworld® announced in February that Alaska Airlines intends to join the alliance by summer 2021, and it also plans to form a US West Coast international alliance with oneworld founding member American Airlines. Once approved, oneworld membership will allow Alaska Mileage Plan loyalty members to earn and redeem miles through oneworld member airlines’ network and vice versa.
Last week Alaska Airlines CEO Brad Tilden mentioned in a press conference that Alaska Airlines intends to join the oneworld alliance much earlier. The airline is now hoping to get a formal invite this month to enable them to join the alliance before the end of the year.
Jet Blue & American Airlines form a partnership
JetBlue Airways and American Airlines today announced a strategic partnership that will create more connectivity for travelers in the Northeast and more choice for customers across their domestic and international networks. Jet Blue is expected to start its first transatlantic route from the UK next year.
JetBlue and American will operate reciprocal codeshare flights, giving customers new options with improved schedules, competitive fares, and access to more domestic and international destinations. If you are a member of AA’s Advantage loyalty scheme it’s good news as it will allow you to earn miles on Jet Blue flights on AA codeshares. However, this will not work with crediting to BA’s Executive Club. If you book the flights through American with a AA flight number you will only earn Avios and TP on the AA flights. If however, it is available to book as a BA codeshare with BA flight numbers then you would. It is not clear yet if this option will be available.
Sadly JetBlue is not joining oneworld® or the AA/IAG Atlantic Joint Business Agreement.
Dear Travellers – all 3 alliances join forces for passengers
While the COVID crisis has often been divisive, the three global airline alliances, collectively representing over 50%of the world’s air traffic, have come together to highlight the measures airlines are adopting to assure the well-being of customers while travelling. Dear Travellers, a video by the three alliances, provides a look at what customers can expect on their journeys over the coming months as travel restrictions are slowly eased and the world starts to reopen.
oneworld CEO Rob Gurney said: “Safety has always been at the core of our member airlines’ operations and this will continue to be the case. With the additional health and well-being measures that have been implemented by our member airlines, and across the industry, customers can embark on their travel with confidence.”
Included in the measures that travellers will experience during their journey from check-in to their chosen destination are:
· A requirement or recommendation for passengers and airline staff to wear face masks both at the airport and onboard, consistent with applicable public health guidelines
· A safe airport environment with physical distancing in all required areas
· Increased and intensified sanitation with a focus on high-touch areas, both on the ground and in the aircraft cabin
· Hospital-grade high-efficiency air filters on board modern aircraft. Known as HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air), these filters extract 99.99% of particles and airborne contaminants
Kristin Colvile, SkyTeam’s CEO, said: “The safety and well-being of passengers and employees have always been our members’ number one priority. We have seen an incredible level of cooperation within the entire aviation community to implement multiple layers of protection around health and hygiene. Passengers can be assured that when they travel many actions have been taken to enhance their personal safety in the airport, and the air.”
Each of the three global alliances has recently announced initiatives that focus on a multi-layered approach to safe operations, meeting or exceeding the stringent measures recommended by health experts, regulators and leading industry bodies.
“We are pleased to have had the opportunity to work with multiple stakeholders in the industry to deliver, in unison, a message to provide peace of mind to customers that health and hygiene safety in air travel is front and centre in the industry’s agenda,” Jeffrey Goh, CEO of Star Alliance, emphasised. He added, “We are facing the biggest challenge in the history of our industry but we are equally determined to overcome it through measures that restore confidence in air travel, so that we can connect people and cultures across the world once again.”
