Oneworld, a major global airline alliance, last week unveiled a radical transformation of the global association in celebration of its 20th anniversary.

The moves are designed to increase the value that oneworld delivers to customers and its member airlines into its third decade, while reflecting the substantial changes in the marketplace and the industry since oneworld took off on February 1, 1999.

Oneworld’s transformation includes:

• A new oneworld digital platform that will bring to life in the digital era the alliance’s core promise of seamless connectivity for customers flying on multi-sector, multi-airline journeys, via the convenience of their preferred member airline’s mobile app or website – without having to download any additional app or enter more log-in credentials. Through this platform, the member airlines will offer the ability, via their own individual apps, to customers flying on any oneworld alliance partner to: Check-in, obtain their boarding pass, receive information and updates on their flight and track their baggage, in addition to other services that will be added in the future.

• An increased level of alliance co-location projects at a number of key airports around the world. Oneworld aims to bring its member airlines operating at all airports worldwide together under one roof and offer smooth transfers for passengers connecting between different carriers’ flights. The alliance also has plans to unveil the first oneworld branded, developed and managed lounge later this year.
 
• A fresh approach to corporate sales, enabling oneworld to respond much faster to requests for alliance contracts, which currently generates $1 billion a year for member airlines. Since trials of the new process began six months ago, revenues have risen 10 per cent. Dozens of the world’s biggest multinational corporations have signed corporate accounts with the alliance rather than a series of individual airline deals.

• A revised process for prospecting potential new members. The first airline to join as a result will be Royal Air Maroc next year – oneworld’s first full member recruit for six years and its first from Africa.
 
• The alliance’s first new membership platform, oneworld connect – designed with smaller, more regional airlines in mind – with Fiji Airways’ entry as the first partner to join in this capacity to be completed by the end of next month. Talks are progressing with other airlines interested in signing, from the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific, enabling the alliance to spread its wings globally.

These changes are reflected in a sweepingly different brand positioning for oneworld, encouraging passengers to “Travel Bright” – complete with a new website.

Travel Bright draws on engaging and energising characters and visuals set against a range of bright pastel colours to present the bright new oneworld - contemporary, warm and positive in its expression, with a look and feel reflecting the more energetic and positive millennial generation. It also features characters representing a full range of cultural, ethnic and age diversity.     

Oneworld CEO Rob Gurney said: “In the two decades since oneworld was launched, the industry and consumer behaviours have changed fundamentally.  Most of our member airlines have undergone comprehensive restructuring, with some even having merged." 

“Since then, global alliances have grown greatly in terms of membership but, to be frank, they have failed to keep pace with the changes that their members, the industry at large and the marketplace have experienced."

“As we enter our third decade, we are undergoing a radical transformation, with a host of fresh initiatives to strengthen further the relevance of the alliance to our member airlines and to our customers,” Gurney said. - TradeArabia News Service