Russia's S7 Airlines to Join oneworld

The Russian domestic airline S7 Airlines is to join the airline alliance, oneworld.

After being elected on board by the grouping's existing ten member airlines, S7 will become part of oneworld, offering the alliance's full range of services, benefits and fares during 2010 and linking oneworld to one of the most extensive networks covering Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States.

S7 serves 72 destinations worldwide. Its addition to the alliance will add 54 cities to the oneworld map - 35 of them in Russia, and bring eight countries onto the alliance's network - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

S7 will expand the alliance's network to nearly 750 destinations in almost 150 countries, served by a combined fleet of 2,300 aircraft operating almost 8,500 flights a day, carrying more than 330 million passengers a year.

S7 also prides itself as being one of the first carriers in Russia to convert to an all Western-built Airbus and Boeing fleet and the first to adopt full electronic ticketing and on-line reservations and sales.

While it begins its 18-month alliance implementation programme with the support of British Airways as its oneworld sponsor, it will take its first step by adding its network to the Global Explorer round-the-world fare offered by all oneworld member airlines and selected carriers that are not part of the alliance, from June 1, 2009.

oneworld Managing Partner John McCulloch said, "S7 fills one of oneworld's few remaining membership ‘white spaces' with a carrier that matches our alliance's demanding quality requirements. It will expand oneworld's presence substantially in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, while enabling S7 to offer its customers a truly global network on quality partners. We are delighted to welcome them to the oneworld alliance."

S7 Chief Executive Vladimir Obyedkov added, "Becoming part of oneworld is one of the most significant steps in S7's history. It will enable us to offer our customers a truly global network served by partners who include some of the best known and most admired airlines in the world, while our frequent flyers will have more opportunities to earn and redeem mileage rewards and enjoy all their other benefits. It will also strengthen us financially, through revenues from passengers transferring to our network from our oneworld partners and the cost reduction opportunities the alliance offers."

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