oneworld airline alliance enters events and conventions travel market
- Big benefits for organisers and attendees of conferences, events and exhibitions
- Attractive discounts on flights
- Easy-to-use online booking and management systems
- Travel on a collection of the world's leading airlines serving 850 destinations
oneworld®, the premier global airline alliance, today unveiled a new, one-stop, easy-to-use service to meet the travel needs for conventions, conferences, exhibitions and special events - offering attractive discounts on flights across a network spanning 850 destinations globally served by some of the world's leading airlines.
For event and convention organisers, oneworld events provides:
- An efficient and user-friendly centralised process, with one set of terms and conditions covering travel on all oneworld member airlines that can be ready for acceptance just days after submitting the online request form.
- Discounted flights for attendees plus the chance for organisers to earn and redeem credits for travel on participating oneworld member airlines.
- Simple online access to real-time management reports 24/7 to help meet attendees' travel needs.
- A ready-to-use oneworld promotional toolkit to build attendee awareness.
For attendees, oneworld events offers:
- Attractive discounts on flights for attendees and one travel companion each, on oneworld member airlines, which together serve 850 destinations in more than 150 countries around the globe.
- A user-friendly booking tool that will display the most convenient flights and multiple fare options from hundreds of departure points all over the world to the event or convention location.
- Travel on a collection of some of the world's leading airlines.
- Round-the-clock support, with the oneworld events helpdesk ready to help via email or phone.
- All usual privileges and benefits to members of any oneworld member airline frequent flyer programme - including the ability to earn miles/points and, for top tier cardholders and one companion each, to use any of the 550 airport lounges provided by the alliance's airlines the world over. Attendees who are not yet members can sign-up before they depart and then receive their benefits and privileges on their way to or from their convention of event.
oneworld events is aimed at conferences, conventions, exhibitions and special events targeting a minimum of 500 international attendees travelling from at least two regions. Requests are accepted as early as five years in advance and up to three months prior to the event date.
Industry data indicates that 3.5 million delegates attend these kinds of conferences and events around the world every year, spending around US$ 1.5 billion on air travel.
The oneworld alliance brings together leading airlines from around the world - airberlin, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Royal Jordanian and S7 Airlines.
Besides these 12 full member airlines, oneworld also features around 30 "affiliate" members, expanding its network further. They include Austria's NIKI, China's Dragonair, US regional American Eagle, South Africa's Comair, Denmark's SUN-AIR, transatlantic carrier OpenSkies, LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador, LAN Peru and, soon, LAN Colombia.
oneworld is currently undergoing one of its biggest expansion drives in its history. Lining up to join oneworld in the year ahead are:
- Qatar Airways, one of the world's most highly regarded and fastest growing carriers, and the first of the Gulf Big Three airlines to sign for any global airline alliance.
- SriLankan Airlines, which will be the first carrier from the Indian sub-continent to join any of the global airline alliances.
- TAM Airlines, the leading airline in Latin America's biggest economy, Brazil.
In addition, US Airways, one of the world's largest airlines, is planning to move into oneworld, through its proposed merger with American Airlines, subject to approvals.
With the addition of its members elect, the oneworld network will soon grow to almost a thousand destinations in nearly 160 countries served by a combined fleet of some 3,300 aircraft operating more than 13,000 daily departures and carrying 480 million customers a year.
oneworld events was unveiled today at IMEX, in Frankfurt - the world's biggest annual convention for the conferences, conventions, exhibitions and events industry.
Launching the product, oneworld Director Sales José María Alvarado said: "Uniquely among global airline alliances, oneworld counts all four of the top country markets for big global gatherings as homes to member airlines - USA, Germany, Spain and UK. But virtually wherever you are holding an event or exhibition, oneworld member airlines will be able to get you there.
"This makes oneworld an obvious choice as a travel partner for most of the world's big conventions and events. Our new oneworld events programme is both simple and speedy to use, with very attractive discounts on published fares."
About oneworld
oneworld member airlines work together to deliver consistently a superior, seamless travel experience, with special privileges and rewards for frequent flyers, including earning and redeeming miles and points across the entire alliance network. Top tier cardholders (Emerald and Sapphire) enjoy access to some 550 airport lounges. The most regular travellers (Emerald) can also use fast track security lanes at select airports and extra baggage allowances.
oneworld is currently the holder of three leading international awards for airline alliances - named the Best Airline Alliance by Global Traveler in its GT Tested Reader Survey 2012 Awards for the third year running, the World's Leading Airline Alliance in the 2012 World Travel Awards for the 10th year running, and Australian Business Traveller Best Airline Alliance in 2012 for the second year running.
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