SriLankan Airlines joins oneworld, begins codesharing with Finnair
SriLankan Airlines becomes part of oneworld® from midnight tonight, offering the full range of services and benefits of the world’s fastest growing and highest rated global airline alliance. The airline becomes the first carrier from the Indian subcontinent to join any of the global airline alliances – and completes oneworld’s biggest expansion program since the alliance was launched 15 years ago.
Finnair is also set to begin offering codeshares with its new alliance partner, a reciprocal arrangement that deepens both airlines’ networks and helps boost travel and tourism between the Nordic countries and Sri Lanka. From 2 June Finnair’s AY code will be added to select SriLankan Airlines services between the Sri Lankan capital Colombo and Frankfurt, Paris, Rome, London, Bangkok and Hong Kong. SriLankan Airlines’ UL code will accordingly be added to select Finnair services between Helsinki and Frankfurt, Paris, Rome, London, Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen.
SriLankan Airlines already codeshares with oneworld members Malaysia Airlines and Royal Jordanian, and is also launching new codeshares with S7 Airlines. Discussions on further codeshare arrangements with more oneworld members are at advanced stage.
The 180 million members of the established oneworld airlines’ frequent flyer programs, including Finnair Plus, are also now able to earn rewards and tier status points and receive all other oneworld benefits when flying on SriLankan and redeem points on the airline’s network.
“Ever since SriLankan Airlines began preparations to join oneworld, Finnair has looked forward to working with its new alliance partner and establishing a codeshare agreement that would expand our network and benefit both airlines’ customers,” says Finnair CEO Pekka Vauramo. “Finnair customers can now take advantage of better opportunities to visit and discover the island nation of Sri Lanka.”
“As an airline highly focused on quality service, we are extremely proud to be lining up to become part of the highest quality alliance with the best airline partners offering a global network that best complements our own,” says SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena. “We look forward to offering all the many benefits of oneworld to our customers from the start of business tomorrow.”
oneworld completes unprecedented expansion drive
SriLankan Airlines’ addition to oneworld brings two new destinations on to the alliance network – Hambantota, Sri Lanka plus Tiruchirappalli, India – along with its Colombo base as a new oneworld hub. With an extensive schedule serving southern India and as the leading international airline serving the Maldives, SriLankan also significantly strengthens oneworld’s presence throughout South Asia, one of the world’s fastest growing regions for air travel demand.
SriLankan Airlines’ entry into oneworld completes the alliance’s unprecedented two-year expansion drive, which began in March 2012 with the addition of airberlin and has since seen the arrival of Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, all members of the LATAM group including TAM Airlines, and founding member American Airlines’ merger partner US Airways.
oneworld’s other member airlines include British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Royal Jordanian and S7 Airlines. The alliance serves almost 1000 airports in 150 countries, with 14,250 daily departures on a combined fleet of some 3300 aircraft, all generating some USD 140 billion in total revenues.
Further information:
SriLankan Airlines: Deepal Perera, Manager Media Relations and PR, +94 197331323, deepal.perera@srilankan.com
oneworld: Michael Blunt, VP Corporate Communications, +44 7711997487, Michael.blunt@oneworld.com
Finnair Media Desk, +358 9 818 4020, comms(a)finnair.com
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