With just a month away for Kingfisher Airlines’ entry in to oneworld, the management of the global alliance is working closely with the financially-strapped airline to ensure its readiness. If things go as planned, Kingfisher Airlines will be the first carrier from the subcontinent to join any of the global airline groups — and the first of three airlines to join oneworld in its biggest membership expansion drive for five years. Air India had earlier come close to being part of the rival Star Alliance network, a move which did not fructify.
However, with heavily truncated schedule of flights, Kingfisher Airlines will be faced with a herculean task to keep in step with the demands of network which oneworld alliance will be looking forward to. A spokesperson for oneworld told Business Standard that all oneworld member airlines undergo audits by the alliance as they join and as appropriate as their business models adapt. “These reviews cover virtually every aspect of the airline’s activities - from its customer offering to its safety procedures. We are of course keeping in close touch with Kingfisher Airlines as its oneworld joining date nears and we look forward to welcoming Kingfisher Airlines on board on 10 February,” the spokesperson said.
Working groups from oneworld have been covering some 35 streams of activity to bring Kingfisher Airlines’ various internal processes and procedures into line with the alliance’s requirements, to ensure they are ready to provide oneworld’s customer services and benefits across the expanded alliance from 10 February. Kingfisher Airlines received its green light to board oneworld during mid-December 2011 after successfully completing a thorough review of its readiness conducted by British Airways, which is sponsoring its entry into the alliance, with the oneworld central team. Kingfisher Airlines was invited to join oneworld in June 2010 after gaining approval from India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation to become part of the alliance. Kingfisher Airlines at that time was offering as much as 350 daily flights and now this number is stumped down to 250.
As and when the entry happens, Kingfisher will offer oneworld’s full range of services — and substantially expanding the alliance’s network in India. By joining this alliance, Kingfisher Airlines is hoping to strengthen its competitive offering and its financial position, enabling it to offer customers a global network served by partners including some of the best and biggest airlines in the world.
oneworld brings together American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN, Malév Hungarian Airlines, Qantas, Royal Jordanian and S7 Airlines, and around 20 affiliates including American Eagle, Dragonair, LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador and LAN Peru. Presently, seven of oneworld’s airlines — American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Japan Airlines, Qantas and Royal Jordanian — serve five Indian gateways, in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad.
With Kingfisher’s entry, it will add more than 40 destinations to the alliance’s network, all of them in in India.
