Malaysia Airlines to join Oneworld alliance

[oz_mark]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

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

Not so long ago there was a rumour about QF starting up a new airline in Malaysia as part of their strategic review. Maybe the whispers were actually about this upcoming announcement, and the rumour mill was a bit off target.

 

[Keith009]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

Personally, my parents live in Johor Bahru and hate the 90 minute drive down to SIN (they're just 20-30 mins away from JHB), so MAS is the perfect travel option for me as I'll soon have lounge access using my WP status at JHB of all places. :mrgreen:

I've always enjoyed flying with MAS. But up till now have not flown them much due to the lack of alliance membership (and their FFP used to be cough until recently).

Or I might investigate the possibility of crediting to Enrich... They seem to have a lot of mileage specials and if they can get their act together crediting to/from partner airlines, they seem like a good value FFP. 80 000 miles for Enrich Platinum...

 

[shambles]

Excellent news!!! Can it be fast-tracked for my trip mid July (please please)

One final reason not to rely on JQ for SE Asia flights and even better, a reason not to have to visit/transit Singapore (originally named from the Latin "Singa" for "most expensive place on earth" and "pore" for "makes you really poor if you stay there")

 

[connieguy]

Malaysian Airlines to join OW, sponsored by QF

Qantas, Malaysia Airlines to build ties, says Alan Joyce | The Australian

Wonder what will happen with the DJ / Malaysian agreement? Does this pull some of the fire out of DJ's international partnership arrangements? BTW I do like MH and see this as a good move for QF.

Time for more PopCorn. This is better than the Bold and the Beautiful.

 

[markis10]

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.

The ability for QF to fly into a OW hub should not be underestimated as far as attraction goes, after all we now have DFW in a similar vein. Being able to provide codeshare options direct to Europe ex Asia without BA/AY or a trip to HKG could be very handy, and a thorn in the side of SQ which would not be happy!

 

[connieguy]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OW, sponsored by QF

Thread number 5 :mrgreen:

It's all the Hot Buttered PopCorn and Soap Opera action like the Bold and the Beautiful.

 

[Keith009]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

Official oneworld announcement:
oneworld - News

 

[oz_mark]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

Personally, my parents live in Johor Bahru and hate the 90 minute drive down to SIN (they're just 20-30 mins away from JHB), so MAS is the perfect travel option for me as I'll soon have lounge access using my WP status at JHB of all places. :mrgreen:

I thought Priority Pass got you into the lounge there?

(I'm not sure if MH has its own lounge there)

 

[anat0l]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

I like this a lot! Although someone work this out: QF is sponsoring MH to join the alliance. So QF has enough to support someone else in a significant business move but doesn't find the funds to support itself in a cutthroat local market, even strategically:?: (Work this one out, economists and MBAs....)

Maybe Mum can credit those annual trips home to QF now (better than expiring with MH, because she doesn't accumulate enough with them to burn a worthwhile award. Whilst QF has a low points value proposition, at least the points will not expire with constant activity.... at least not for now.....)

Of course, I hope MH and QF can negotiate a reasonable points earning deal (at least or better than the equivalent at DJ of late). Unfortunately, I have to say I have not much faith in this, knowing the rather typical QF stinginess. At least, perhaps some codeshares between BNE/SYD/MEL and KUL? (= status bonus = nice!...as long as the fares aren't sky-high)

Too bad they aren't joining soon; otherwise, I might try and credit this errant MH flight to QF instead of DJ has still yet to credit to my account.

 

[Philbyau]

Do you think this will see the end to the sometimes crazy low MH fares from Australia?

Including the cheap J offering to LHR? and SE Asia?

How would you rate MH against QF for service/product say to LHR? are the even?

I know that MH has come up a few times in my flight options but have not purchased due to the lure of QF points and status credits...

 

[Keith009]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

I thought Priority Pass got you into the lounge there?

(I'm not sure if MH has its own lounge there)

Good point...!

Oh well, would be nice to use their fab Flounge in KUL at least.

 

[connieguy]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

Looks like the end of MH's low cost J seats out of Australia. When MH joins OW, I fully expect their out of Oz J prices to align with QF's J prices as is the case with CX or AA flights booked from Oz.

I mean QF/JQ just increased JQ's Business Max prices to Asia by around 20 - 25% (but it is still not a real business seat with only a 39 inch seat pitch) and now soon the MH J real business seats will probably climb as well.

Sad news for us seeking low cost J seats for travel to Asia.

 

[Keith009]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

Looks like the end of MH's low cost J seats out of Australia. When MH joins OW, I fully expect their out of Oz J prices to align with QF's J prices as is the case with CX or AA flights booked from Oz.

Not necessarily. Cheap(er) J seats on oneworld carriers can still be found... JAL 2-4-1 J fares are priced similarly to the same at MH. MH of course has a far better schedule and network than JAL out of Oz.

 

[connieguy]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

Not necessarily. Cheap(er) J seats on oneworld carriers can still be found... JAL 2-4-1 J fares are priced similarly to the same at MH. MH of course has a far better schedule and network than JAL out of Oz.

I fly Adl/Bkk/Adl via Mel at present on JQ around every 3 weeks. With the Business Max changes I was going to go with MH as their real J seat was about what I paid for the JQ29/JQ30 plus the Adl/Mel/Adl domestic connection. Plus I could gain both DJ and MH SCs. Looks like I can still do that for a time or until MH cuts the ties with DJ.

Pass the Hot Buttered PopCorn as another chapter of the Bold and the Beautiful has just started. Must be DJ's turn to show another of their cards. Will it be DJ has joined *A via SQ sponsor?

 

[browski]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

Malaysia Airlines 9M-MXA... New Livery! | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

A few months back MH started re-painting their aircraft with the new design - not that different from the old one mind you - but maybe it was a sign that they were about to re-launch themselves.

 

[Keith009]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

I fly Adl/Bkk/Adl via Mel at present on JQ around every 3 weeks. With the Business Max changes I was going to go with MH as their real J seat was about what I paid for the JQ29/JQ30 plus the Adl/Mel/Adl domestic connection. Plus I could gain both DJ and MH SCs. Looks like I can still do that for a time or until MH cuts the ties with DJ.

MH J to SIN was only $2999 all in when they were on sale last month (the sale didn't extend to domestic destinations like JHB which is where I actually want to go), only $600 more than JQ with Business Max on the same dates. Unfortunately I missed out on the sale.

 

[danih88]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

Personally I am glad this is happening as I have had to travel to Malaysia a few times over the years and have always been frustrated in my inability to earn Qantas SCs or points on those flights.

That being said. I wonder what rate the MH points will translate to?

Anyone have a date when this will officially occur? Traditionally this sort of merger can take months.

Regards
Daniel

 

[oz_mark]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

Personally I am glad this is happening as I have had to travel to Malaysia a few times over the years and have always been frustrated in my inability to earn Qantas SCs or points on those flights.

That being said. I wonder what rate the MH points will translate to?

Anyone have a date when this will officially occur? Traditionally this sort of merger can take months.

It is joining an alliance, not a merger. As for timeframes, ss per the press release:

Malaysia Airlines is expected to start flying as part of oneworld late next year.

oneworld - News

 

[el_rooto]

Re: Malaysian Airlines to join OneWorld

Could QF potentially form some of joint venture on Australia - Europe flights?

 

[danih88]

Here is the link and the text to the news article:

oneworld - News

Malaysia Airlines is to join oneworld®, adding one of aviation's most frequent award winners to the world's leading quality airline alliance.
Malaysia Airlines was unanimously elected a oneworld member designate by the Chief Executives of the alliance's member airlines, at a meeting on the sidelines of IATA's 2011 World Air Transport Summit, which opens in Singapore today.
A formal alliance membership agreement will be completed soon.
Malaysia Airlines is expected to start flying as part of oneworld late next year.
As it prepares for its alliance membership, Malaysia Airlines intends to develop bilateral links with a number of oneworld's established partners, who include some of the biggest and best names in the airline industry. It already code-shares with oneworld partners Cathay Pacific and Royal Jordanian.
When it becomes part of oneworld, its customers will gain access to the alliance's truly global network. It will expand oneworld's global coverage to almost 950 destinations in 150 countries, served by a combined fleet of more than 2,600 aircraft operating some 10,000 flights a day and carrying 358 million passengers a year.
Three established oneworld member airlines currently serve Malaysia, with Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines and Royal Jordanian flying to Kuala Lumpur, and Cathay Pacific also to Penang and, through its Dragonair affiliate, Kota Kinabalu. Opportunities for expanding the alliance's coverage of the country will be explored as Malaysia Airlines prepares to join.
When it becomes part of oneworld, members of Malaysia Airlines' Enrich frequent flyer programme will be able to earn and redeem rewards on any of oneworld's 14 other top-class carriers, with top tier members able to use any of the group's 550 plus airport lounges, and its network will be covered by oneworld's range of alliance fares.
At the same time, frequent flyer cardholders of oneworld's established airlines will be able to earn and redeem rewards when flying on Malaysia Airlines.
Qantas will serve as sponsor of Malaysia Airlines' entry into oneworld.
Malaysia Airlines Chairman Tan Sri Dr Mohd Munir Abdul Majid said: "The Board of Malaysia Airlines had targeted entry into an alliance this year. I am glad we are at the stage where the initiation with oneworld is formalised."
Malaysia Airlines Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Tengku Azmil Aziz said: "With the world airline industry increasingly focused on alliances, we have carried out careful analysis of the options now available to Malaysia Airlines. The time is clearly right for our company to join one of the global airline groups, and oneworld is clearly the best option for us. As a company highly focused on quality service, we are immensely proud to have been invited to join the highest quality alliance with the best airline partners offering a global network that best complements our own. We look forward to completing all joining requirements as soon as possible."
American Airlines' Chairman and Chief Executive Gerard Arpey, Chairman of the oneworld Governing Board, said: "Today's agreement with Malaysia Airlines represents another significant milestone in our journey to establish oneworld firmly as the world's premier airline alliance with members unmatched in brand and service quality. We look forward to welcoming Malaysia Airlines to oneworld."
oneworld CEO Bruce Ashby said: "oneworld already features four of the best airlines in Asia-Pacific, including member elect Kingfisher Airlines. Adding another leading Asian carrier, in Malaysia Airlines, will greatly enhance oneworld's offering throughout the world's fast growing region for air travel demand."
Qantas Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce said: "Malaysia Airlines is an ideal candidate for oneworld, with its world-class reputation for customer service mirroring oneworld's own focus. Its Kuala Lumpur home will provide our customers with another of the world's best airports, geographically well placed between our existing hubs. Qantas is delighted to be serving as its sponsor in joining oneworld."