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According to this article "a significant membership development will take place on 8 October in New York. The online news service said it had seen documents that said the meeting would include Bruce Ashby, chief executive of Oneworld, Tom Horton, chairman and chief executive of American Airlines, and Willie Walsh, chief executive of International Airlines Group (IAG).

The article states that US media reports suggest that the announcement will be that QR will join OW. QR recently denied reports that they were in talks with BA to set up a agreement like that recently reached between EK and QF. QR have however not denied or confirmed reports that they are to join OW.

Personally I think there is a high chance that this report is true.

Is it also possible that the announcement could be that OW will add more than one new member??. If so who??

Well if you believe some of the threads on here it must be Oneworld announcing the closure of the alliance because there's just no point any more because of the EK and QF partnership!!

The fact that the announcement is in the Americas suggests that it might be TAM. I would have thought an announcement regarding QR would take place on the other side of the atlantic, but you never know.

isnt the HQ of OW in US making it equally as likely ?

Quoting LHRFlyer (Reply 1): The fact that the announcement is in the Americas suggests that it might be TAM. I would have thought an announcement regarding QR would take place on the other side of the atlantic, but you never know.

Doubt it's TAM. Since Willie Walsh is showing up it will be IAG sponsoring QR into oneworld. Tim Horton will only be there in capacity as oneworld chairman.

If you look at all the public love making between Walsh and Al Baker lately, seems obvious.

I suppose this could be a non-denial denial but QR is insisting it's not joining Oneworld:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...ays-oneworld-idUSBRE88T06J20120930

Quote: Qatar Airways has no plans to join the oneworld airline alliance, its Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker said on Sunday, dismissing reports that the airline had become the newest member of the group as "rumor." Asked if the carrier would join oneworld, which includes British Airways, owned by IAG (ICAG.L), Baker said: "No, we will not. It's all rumors."

Anyone ever think it could be USAirways joining Oneworld ?

Quoting etops1 (Reply 5): Anyone ever think it could be USAirways joining Oneworld ?

If we're to follow history of what United and Continental did, CO left Sky Team to join Star Alliance before the merger happened, it could be possible that US would be joining it if that was the example we used.

Very excited to hear what the actual news is!

Alex

Quoting etops1 (Reply 5): Anyone ever think it could be USAirways joining Oneworld ?

        

Good possibility this could be it.

Quoting LHRFlyer (Reply 1): Well if you believe some of the threads on here it must be Oneworld announcing the closure of the alliance because there's just no point any more because of the EK and QF partnership!!

I just choked on my food whilst reading that, hahah! Seriously looking forward to what comes out of this on the 8th...

I would suspect it will be an anoucement of 2 or 3 carriers joining OW, along with that all OW at LHR will be using BA services

I am inclined to believe it is an airline in The Americas. The press announcement for Air Berlin joining Oneworld was in Germany. It may be that Tim Horton cannot travel given what's going on at AA at the moment, but I'd be suprised at a press announcement in New York for a Middle Eastern/Asian airline.

I'm thinking it could be either TAM, US, or QR. But EY who has a frequent flier agreement with AA, has a stake in AB, partners with S7, future OW members Malaysian, SriLankan could be a dark horse.

Quoting LHRFlyer (Reply 1): Well if you believe some of the threads on here it must be Oneworld announcing the closure of the alliance because there's just no point any more because of the EK and QF partnership!!

For real, I don't know why everyone was losing their minds over this

Quoting Atrude777 (Reply 6): If we're to follow history of what United and Continental did, CO left Sky Team to join Star Alliance before the merger happened, it could be possible that US would be joining it if that was the example we used.

My question is, would US benefit from joining OW? What if the merger doesn't work out and US is in OW separate from AA? With CO it at least made sense for them to join Star (merger with UA aside.) Not saying US wouldn't fit in OW I'm just wondering

USAirways Aside, Jetblue anyone? They've got nice ties with AA, seem to prefer the expansion through partnerships theory as of late, and happen to have a rather large Hub / corporate headquarters here.

Quoting b6a322 (Reply 13): USAirways Aside, Jetblue anyone?

LH owns 19% of them and has strong code-sharing, so that makes me inclined to believe they would not join OW.

Quoting Stitch (Reply 14): LH owns 19% of them and has strong code-sharing, so that makes me inclined to believe they would not join OW.

Since when does 19% control a company? LH protested the partnership with AA, and we know what happened then.

TAM makes the most sense.

AA and IAG (IB/BA) have a lot in stake with the Americas. LATAM is probably the only carrier that would really require both AA and IAG being present and NYC seems like the logical place to hold such an event.

Quoting LHRFlyer (Reply 4): I suppose this could be a non-denial denial but QR is insisting it's not joining Oneworld: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...20930

I think the announcement is going to be that they will more than one new not yet announced airline will join OW in late 2013 or early 2014. In light of this report I think the carriers that I think are most likely possible new members are:

Alaska Airlines
Ethiad
Flybe
Meridianafly
US Airways
Westjet

Hainan Airlines is another possibility that is if CX doesnt block them

[Edited 2012-09-30 14:13:01]

Quoting GSTBA (Reply 17): Alaska Airlines

One of Alaska's strengths is the codesharing they do. Just as I can't see them agreeing to be purchased by another US flagged carrier, I cannot see them formally joining an alliance.

Quoting GSTBA (Reply 17): Alaska Airlines Ethiad Meridianafly US Airways Westjet

Of those 5,I would be inclined to pick US as a precursor to whatever happens with AA later on.

Quoting b6a322 (Reply 13): USAirways Aside, Jetblue anyone? They've got nice ties with AA, seem to prefer the expansion through partnerships theory as of late, and happen to have a rather large Hub / corporate headquarters here.

Jetblue would be very interesting, and I don't think LH's 19% stake precludes it,

US Airways would also be interesting, not least because Virgin has just started codesharing with them and Virgin could lose another US partner.

I find it hard to imagine QR joining OW would be announced anywhere else than Doha, Qatar...

Quoting LHRFlyer (Reply 20): Jetblue would be very interesting, and I don't think LH's 19% stake precludes it.

It wouldn't preclude it, but if B6 joins OneWorld, does that mean they can no longer codeshare with LH because LH is in Star?

For if they could not, then there seems to be no reason for LH to continue to hold the stock (since B6 does not appear to pay a dividend).

possibly not LATAM according to this Reuters report from the 21st of September 2012 the group will decide on an airline alliance in the first half of 2013

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/0...tam-alliance-idUKL1E8KL5WB20120921

Quoting airevents (Reply 21): I find it hard to imagine QR joining OW would be announced anywhere else than Doha, Qatar...

Not if they bring 2 shiny 787s to the party.

Quoting GSTBA (Reply 17): Alaska Airlines

Highly doubt it... they have a strong codeshare with DL in SEA

Quoting Stitch (Reply 22): but if B6 joins OneWorld, does that mean they can no longer codeshare with LH because LH is in Star?

No, for the same reason QF can codeshare with AF. Alliance members are allowed side deals. However, B6 would most likely codeshare with AB as well.

Quoting airevents (Reply 21): I find it hard to imagine QR joining OW would be announced anywhere else than Doha, Qatar... www.airevents.com

I find it hard to imagine QR would announce they are joining OW after they, QR, just announced they are not joining OW.

Quoting Stitch (Reply 18): One of Alaska's strengths is the codesharing they do. Just as I can't see them agreeing to be purchased by another US flagged carrier, I cannot see them formally joining an alliance.

Quoting DeltaMD90 (Reply 25): Highly doubt it... they have a strong codeshare with DL in SEA

Yep, and that relationship with DL is stronger than the one AS has with AA.

Quoting DeltaMD90 (Reply 12): My question is, would US benefit from joining OW? What if the merger doesn't work out and US is in OW separate from AA? With CO it at least made sense for them to join Star

To flip that on its head I guess you could ask what US gets from Star. I know they say that their Star membership is "profitable" (however it is you put a value on such a vague and intangible concept) but they don't exactly have a warm relationship with the other members. Being excluded from the UA-AC-LH tie up certainly showed that they are not welcomed with open arms - and it's not as if US has an insignificant European presence either, from what I understand US is bigger in Europe than AA is.

So... maybe as (a) a precursor to a merger - possibly with IAG backing, or (b) to neutralise the US threat - keep your friends close and enemies closer and all that jazz - BA and AA have invited US to join BA-AA-IB.

It would explain the parties involved and the choice of location, or I could be dreaming   

EK joining OW?

(One can always hope for a radical piece of news, and then get something totally boring instead...)

Quoting Stitch (Reply 22): It wouldn't preclude it, but if B6 joins OneWorld, does that mean they can no longer codeshare with LH because LH is in Star?

Yes because alliances mean airlines can't do deals with non-alliance partners to the detriment of their business.  

Quoting runway23 (Reply 16): AA and IAG (IB/BA) have a lot in stake with the Americas. LATAM is probably the only carrier that would really require both AA and IAG being present and NYC seems like the logical place to hold such an event.

Tim Horton is the oneworld chariman. He would be there in that capacity.

Quoting RyanairGuru (Reply 29):

Or maybe even more crazy.... a merger between AA and IAG to fend off US. That would be a big announcement for sure. 

Although I think some addition to the joint Business between IAG and AA is more likely. Maybe just closer cooperation between IAG and AA.

Quoting LHRFlyer (Reply 1): The fact that the announcement is in the Americas suggests that it might be TAM.

Quoting LHRFlyer (Reply 10): I am inclined to believe it is an airline in The Americas

Well if it's TAM the choice of New York suggests that they are joining the wrong alliance.

For the record, New York is FURTHER from Sao Paulo than Johannesburg in Africa and is only 100 miles closer than Jerez in mainland Spain.

Basically, the USA and Brazil are in opposite hemispheres.

Personally, I hope it's not US Airways, because their First Class tickets go a long way towards my Star Alliance elite status.

Since the announcement is going to be in the US, I would imagine it relates to an American carrier. My money would be on US or B6. I personally hope it's US.

I don't think the announcement being made in NY has much impact. Sri Lankan was announced in Beijing and I don't think S7 or Royal Jordanian were announced at their home bases.

OneWorld's HQ is in New York. I hope we see QR joining or Hainan Airlines would be great too and has long been rumoured.

Quoting LAXdude1023 (Reply 34): Since the announcement is going to be in the US, I would imagine it relates to an American carrier. My money would be on US or B6. I personally hope it's US.

Wouldn't it be premature for them to join OneWorld at a time when they are far from certain of taking over American Airlines?

There is still plenty that could go wrong with the AA acquisition, and they would be foolish to exit the Star Alliance until the acquisition is confirmed.

Quoting koruman (Reply 36): Wouldn't it be premature for them to join OneWorld at a time when they are far from certain of taking over American Airlines? There is still plenty that could go wrong with the AA acquisition, and they would be foolish to exit the Star Alliance until the acquisition is confirmed.

I dont disagree with you, but that doesnt mean that they see it the same way. US has been talking to AA and IAG and has publicly stated they would join One World if they could merge with AA.

Maybe the whole QR thing is just a red herring and the real candidate is Etihad...

http://www.businesstraveller.com/mid.../news/etihad-targets-more-partners

Like most commentators on this thread I am hoping for a significant airline related announcement - but I fear given that the announcement has been trailed well in advance, possibly as a means of drumming up press interest in a fairly non-descript announcement, and the fact that announcement is to be made in NYC, the admin centre of OW, I fear we may be in for some sort of OW organisational/operational announcement rather than a nice juicy one that is membership related.

I hope I am wrong.

The rumors I have heard suggest it is Ethiad...

It would be nice if US was also going to join, but I believe it will be an announcement of just one airline... Ethiad.

AJMIA

It's going to be Jetblue announcement... They are now available for interline bookings to OW carrier staff...

EK413

Quoting koruman (Reply 33): Basically, the USA and Brazil are in opposite hemispheres.

I do not dispute that Brazil, like all of Australia and Antarctica, is mainly (but not totally) in the Southern Hemisphere. However as the Equator runs across the Amazon Estuary the north of the country, like all of the USA, is in the Northern Hemisphere. But both the USA and Brazil are totally, like most of London, in the Western Hemisphere.  

Quoting koruman (Reply 33): Basically, the USA and Brazil are in opposite hemispheres.

In traditional North-South parlance which most people in Europe and Australasia would understand as "hemisphere" you are - of course - right, even if part of the country is in the North. However in US parlance they're the same: the "Western Hemisphere"

Quoting AJMIA (Reply 40): The rumors I have heard suggest it is Ethiad...

My only question about EY would be the EK-QF tie up. Surely Alan Joyce would have been aware of murmurings about EY joining the alliance before he put pen to paper? I know that EY and VA currently have a tie-up, but EY ditched QF and DJ ditched EK for that to take place so it isn't completely inconceivable that EY would switch sides again.

It's going to be Jetblue announcement... They are now available for interline bookings to OW carrier staff...
[/quote]
How can you prove that?

Interesting comments from the past, from when B6 and AA announced their code share:

http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/p...blue-ceos-dont-rule-it-out/85989/1

Fair Use:

Quote: Adrian Schofield picks up that topic in the Things With Wings blog, noting AA CEO Gerard Arpey and JetBlue chief Dave Barger "both deliberately didn't rule out JetBlue moving to Oneworld alliance." In comments from the press event, Barger says the companies "are open to the path forward, whatever that may be" while AA's Arpey points out JetBlue possesses the traits oneworld seeks for its member carriers. "We'll see where things lead," Arpey says.

Quoting rgreenftm (Reply 45):

Let's also not forget the ties B6 has recently made with JAL, another OW partner.

B6 would make sense.... But I really am thinking it could be US.

Quoting Drmlnr1 (Reply 47): I really am thinking it could be US.

I really hope you're right, but it seems to be "confirmed" on the other thread that it's QR

Bring on the fireworks with EK   

Crazy idea, US is going to OW where, also being announced, they will merge with AA and why is IAG there? Because they will be investing 25% into the new company called AAG (American Airlines Group).

A guy can hope right?