oneworld EXTENDS ITS INTERNATIONAL LEAD WITH ADDITION OF NEW AFRICAN AFFILIATE REGIONAL AIR

oneworld™ has extended its lead as the most international global airline alliance with the addition of its 31st member.

Kenya-based Regional Air is to join the "alliance that revolves around you" as an affiliate member following its franchising agreement with oneworld founding member British Airways. Regional Air’s franchising agreement is effective July 1.

At that time, flights by Regional Air, which is the jet operation of Airkenya Aviation, will operate with a British Airways flight code in British Airways’ colors with a British Airways style service.

It will offer two-class Boeing 737-300 connections between Nairobi and Asmara, in Eritrea; Djibouti, Djibouti; Harare, Zimbabwe; Khartoum, Sudan; Lusaka, Zambia, and Mombasa, Kenya.

Four of these destinations - Asmara, Djibouti, Khartoum and Mombasa - are new to the oneworld global network. Three of the countries served by Regional Air are also new to oneworld - Djibouti, Eritrea and Sudan.

This brings the number of countries served worldwide by oneworld carriers - Aer Lingus, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Finnair, Iberia, LanChile, Qantas and their affiliates - to 135, and the total destinations to 565.

Regional Air becomes the third oneworld affiliate in Africa, with South Africa’s Comair and Zambian Air Services (ZAS) already part of the alliance through their established British Airways franchise agreements.

Michael Jackson, British Airways’ Head of Alliances and Franchises, said: "We welcome Regional Air to the British Airways family as the 11th franchise, and to oneworld. The new deal will allow us to grow our already extensive African network and builds on the success of the franchise agreements in Southern Africa."

Charles Goodrich, Regional Air’s Chief Executive Officer, added: "This is great news for customers wishing to travel across Africa and it is great news for Regional Air. We are delighted to be part of the British Airways and oneworld family. Its strong brand and global reputation will be a real bonus to Regional Air and it will provide customers access to a worldwide network in countries not served previously."

Regional Air was created in May 2000 and is the sister company of Airkenya Aviation, a privately owned airline formed in 1985 that provides a network of domestic scheduled services throughout Kenya.

Regional Air currently has 100 employees. The Boeing 737-300 operating the Regional Air/British Airways flights will be a two-class configuration with 24 Club seats (business class) and 76 Traveller seats (economy class).