Malaysia Airlines to join Oneworld alliance

[leemin]

AusBT have a story saying MH will be joining OW.

The move will not only make for easier transfers and codeshares between Qantas and MAS, primarily through MAS' hometown hub of Kuala Lumpur, but it will open up point-sharing between Malaysia Airlines' Enrich frequent flyer program and those of Qantas, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and other Oneworld partners

Interesting given MH currently have a reciprocal arrangement with DJ..

 

[oz_mark]

AusBT have a story saying MAS will be joining OW.



Interesting given MAS currently have a reciprocal arrangement with DJ..

Will have to wait and see if it is confirmed, but I have been hoping MH join up with someone like DJ! OneWorld would work for me as well


See also the CAPA article: http://www.centreforaviation.com/news/2011/06/06/malaysia-airlines-to-join-oneworld-alliance/page1

 

[markis10]

It makes sense, have a One World hub in SE Asia has been something lacking for a while, as has OneWorld options to KUL.

 

[djfuzz]

Awesome. Hope the admission process is relatively quick and painless - had been hoping for an opportunity to revisit the MH First Class lounge at KUL.

Funny, I'd just been looking at MH fares as an option to supplement Velocity SCs; looks like that option may have changed in a bizarre way!

 

[oz_mark]

Awesome. Hope the admission process is relatively quick and painless - had been hoping for an opportunity to revisit the MH First Class lounge at KUL.

Integration is set for 12-18 months.

Funny, I'd just been looking at MH fares as an option to supplement Velocity SCs; looks like that option may have changed in a bizarre way!

Ditto, although chances are my next MH flights will go Velocity way (given the time frames). My issue has been the domestic MH sectors (which don't credit anywhere but to Enrich, as do the SIN-KUL sector).

 

[simongr]

Interesting - I had thought that MH were the cheaper option through to the UK but not really that much cheaper than CX...

 

[Limewood]

Excellent news, they have some unreal J deals, seen return SYD/MAS $2K, SYD/LAX $5K special offers past months.

 

[docjames]

Wow, that's big news actually. That will pretty much kill any tie up with Virgin. One smells some "payback" for the EY deal poached out from under QF's nose.

Wonder where that leaves VA with regards an Asian partner? Especially SE Asia. Doesnt leave many major carriers in SE Asia not aligned to one of the three alliances (ST/OW/SA).

Wonder if QF will reinstate KL flights - when did QF mainline last serve KL?

 

[crazydave98]

Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

as the thread title says. To be sponsored by Qantas.

 

[Keith009]

Malaysia Airlines to join oneworld

http://www.ausbt.com.au/malaysia-airlines-to-join-oneworld-alliance

Sponsored by QF apparently - as it'll be a joint announcement by CEOs of both airlines.

Finally! MH is a quality carrier and IMO ranks right up there with SQ in many respects. They've been pursuing ScaryTeam membership for a while given their historically close relationship with KLM, only to be frustrated by Air France's disapproval. This move is a pleasant surprise, as they're too good to be lumped in with any of the Scary airlines!

Hopefully it won't be a false start this time like back in 2001 (Malaysia Airlines is about to join the Oneworld Alliance [Archive] - FlyerTalk Forums)

Can't find any official sources yet so this will have to do for now.

This might shoot to pieces any possibility of MAS becoming the Asia based alliance partner of Virgin Australia as I was fervently hoping. And if so I might have to rethink my QFF vs Velocity strategy. Again. :-|

edit: crazydave98 beat me to it. Mods, please merge.

 

[oz_mark]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

as the thread title says. To be sponsored by Qantas.

...which begs the question of just who is DJ talking to regarding an Asian partner......

 

[notzac]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

...which begs the question of just who is DJ talking to regarding an Asian partner......

For what it's worth .. I really really hope it's someone like SQ. Lord knows that'd throw a cat among the pigeons..

 

[TonyHancock]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

:?::?::shock::shock:

 

[mannej]

Pity it is now, a few years too late for me!

As for QF in KUL, I think they pulled out shortly after the Commonwealth games, but I may be wrong

 

[codash1099]

Great news for those of us in PER. Gives us a third OW choice.

 

[Keith009]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

For what it's worth .. I really really hope it's someone like SQ. Lord knows that'd throw a cat among the pigeons..

But MAS has far cheaper J fares. When they have J Companion fares, I can often find MEL-KUL-North Asia return for under 6k for 2 people. Or LHR for 9k. SQ often costs thousands more, not dissimilar to QF pricing. Then again there are enough people who think SQ walks on water...

 

[ftm]

Wonder if QF will reinstate KL flights - when did QF mainline last serve KL?

I can't imagine that QF will fly to KUL with their own aircraft. Rather they will just codeshare.

But the alliance will add more codeshare options to Asia and particularly Europe, where QF destinations are lacking. Would be nicer if they flew to those places with actual QF aircraft, but that's dreamin !

 

[MH_fan]

MAS joins OneWorld!

Malaysia Airlines to join oneworld alliance - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller.

Great news!

 

[notzac]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

But MAS has far cheaper J fares. When they have J Companion fares, I can often find MEL-KUL-North Asia return for under 6k for 2 people. Or LHR for 9k. SQ often costs thousands more, not dissimilar to QF pricing. Then again there are enough people who think SQ walks on water...

Fair point. I mentioned SQ primarily because we know that there was some level of negotiation to get the Virgin name for international flights, so it would be reasonable to assume that more than just rights to use the name was discussed.

As far as Asian airlines go, the only airlines I have personal experience with are TG (years and years ago) and CX (far more recent, but only one flight). I have limited need to fly to Asia, so it's of lesser importance to me .. but maybe SQ and NH (with VA flighting to NRT/HND) would make for a good combination?

 

[xt_20]

Is there anything in it for QF here? Asia-bound passengers might choose an easier connection on MH over QF via SIN/HKG now.

Being from PER and travelling to KUL often, it's excellent news for me.