Russia's S7 Airlines to Join oneworld

Russia's S7 Airlines, a leading domestic carrier, is to become part of the oneworld airline alliance.

From 15 November, 2010 members of the S7 Priority frequent flyer programme will be able to earn and redeem mileage awards on all oneworld partners - American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN Airlines, Malev Hungarian Airlines, Mexicana, Qantas and Royal Jordanian and almost 20 affiliated airlines.

S7 Priority Platinum and Gold cardholders will have oneworld Emerald and Sapphire status respectively, gaining them access to more than 500 airport lounges worldwide offered by the alliance's airlines. S7 Priority Silver cardholders will have oneworld Ruby status.

All S7 Priority Platinum, Gold and Silver cardholders will soon be sent new membership cards, bearing the oneworld logo, to ensure they receive their alliance benefits from 15 November.

Also from 15 November, members of the established oneworld airlines' frequent flyer programs will be able to earn and redeem awards and tier status points and receive all other oneworld benefits on S7.

S7's network - covering 90 destinations and 28 countries, including 45 points in Russia and some 25 destinations in other parts of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) - will from then be covered by oneworld's extensive range of alliance fares and sales products.

Currently seven of oneworld's established airlines – British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malev Hungarian Airlines and Royal Jordanian - serve Moscow, plus St Petersburg and Ekaterinburg in Russia.

The new oneworld recruit will add 55 destinations in the region to the alliance map, and nine countries, in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. This will almost triple the number of destinations served by oneworld in Russia, the CIS and other parts of East Europe to a total 84 destinations in 26 countries.

S7's addition will extend oneworld's global coverage to a total of more than 750 destinations in almost 150 countries, served by a total of 8,500 departures a day operated by a combined fleet of some 2,250 aircraft, carrying 300 million passengers a year, with annual revenues of more than US$85 billion.

British Airways has been supporting S7 through its 18-month alliance implementation project, as its oneworld sponsor airline, with working groups covering some 35 streams of activity.

Work is well advanced in linking up S7's IT systems to those of oneworld's established members. Projects are also nearing completion to bring S7's various internal processes and procedures into line with the alliance's requirements, and extensive employee training and communications programmes are now underway at the S7 and the alliance's existing members, to ensure they are ready to provide oneworld's customer services and benefits across the expanded alliance from 15 November.

S7 Chief Executive Vladimir Obyedkov said, "S7 Airlines is delighted to be joining the world's premier global airline alliance. Becoming part of oneworld will be 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."

S7's fleet, decorated in a distinctive bright green livery, includes 28 Airbus A320 family types, two Airbus A310s, two Boeing 767s, four Boeing 737-400s and four Boeing 737-800s, with an average age of nine years.

It carried 5.6 million passengers in 2009 and generated profits of US$151 million (operating) and US$18 million (net) in 2009 on revenues of US$1.1 billion. S7 employs 2,596 staff and uses SITA as its main IT platform. It is 75% privately owned.

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