Fiji Airways To Join Oneworld Connect

Airline alliance Oneworld has launched a new platform that will link smaller airlines to the group’s 13 full members, with Fiji Airways set to become the first Oneworld Connect partner.

Passengers on Fiji will get access to alliance perks such as through check-in of passengers and their bags, plus frequent flyer rewards. The partnership will also add several destinations in the South Pacific to Oneworld members.

Prospective Oneworld Connect partners will need a minimum of three full alliance members as sponsors. Fiji Airways’ sponsors are American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas.

Qantas will also mentor Fiji Air through the implementation process.

Oneworld chairman Pekka Vauramo of Finnair explained that as most of the world’s biggest airlines are already alliance members, the Connect partnership will allow the airline group to bring in other, smaller airlines.

“With fewer potential new candidates available to recruit based on our established membership criteria, Oneworld Connect enables us to link up with other airlines whose networks are relevant to a subset of our members, who cannot meet Oneworld’s full membership requirements at this stage or who are not interested in full membership at present,” Oneworld chief executive Rob Gurney added.

Fiji Airways CEO Andre Viljoen said the airline is “thrilled and honoured to be the first Oneworld Connect partner globally. We are delighted to link Fiji, and the South Pacific to the world’s premier airline alliance.

“This important step for our airline enables us to offer more services and benefits to our own customers along with the others in the Oneworld family, to achieve a greater presence for our airline internationally and to build on the in-bound tourism that is so vital to our home nation and our region.”

Fiji Airways serves 21 destinations in 13 countries and territories from its Nadi Airport base. Destinations include Sydney, Hong Kong and Los Angeles.

The airline’s partnership will add seven territories – Fiji plus the South Pacific nations of Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Samoa to the alliance’s destinations.