Malaysia Airlines takes to skies as oneworld member

MANILA, Philippines - Malaysia Airlines commenced operations today as a full member of the award winning oneworld airline alliance.

To commemorate the event, a Malaysia Airlines’ A330-300 showcasing the special oneworld livery took off as flight MH129 from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne at 10:15 a.m. this morning with 263 passengers.

The aircraft displayed the distinct design features ‘oneworld‘ in six feet high blue letters along a white fuselage and the airline’s standard tailfin, serving as a huge flying billboard highlighting that the national carrier of Malaysia is now a member of the alliance, offering the full range of oneworld services and benefits.

The oneworld logo will be applied by the side passenger entrance doors on Malaysia Airlines’ entire fleet of 88 aircraft as part of a massive rebranding program that will also see the alliance logo added virtually wherever the Malaysia Airlines’ name is displayed – at airport check-in desks and signages, on its website, tickets, boarding passes and all items of stationery.

Malaysia Airlines’ Group CEO Ahmad Jauhari was joined by Michael Blunt, vice-president corporate communications of oneworld Alliance, member carriers’ uniformed representatives and senior management staff of Malaysia Airlines to send-off passengers on the flight, followed by a cake cutting ceremony with the participating airline staff.

In addition to the send-off, Malaysia Airlines entry to oneworld will be heavily promoted from today onwards via one of the biggest marketing campaigns in the airline’s history with extensive advertisements highlighting the new alliance services and benefits available to its customers.

All cardholders in its Enrich frequent flyer program have been sent new membership cards, bearing the oneworld logo and ‘gemstone’ tier indicator, to ensure they receive their alliance benefits from today when traveling on the alliance partners throughout the entire oneworld network.

Since accepting its invitation to join the alliance in June 2011, Malaysia Airlines has expanded its code-sharing relationships to four established oneworld partners – Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Japan Airlines and Royal Jordanian.