SHIFTINGALLIANCES

BIG SHAKE-UPS are under way at two of the world’s three major airline alliances with China Southern officially beginning its departure from Skyteam at the beginning of this year. Oneworld is also bringing on board its first new full member in six years, Royal Air Maroc, in mid-2020.

China Southern’s decision ends months of speculation over the future of China’s largest carrier in Skyteam, which in recent years has enhanced its collaboration with non-member airlines, notably Oneworld’s American Airlines. The process of leaving Skyteam is expected to take until the end of 2019, though it remains to be seen whether the airline would be able to join its US partner in Oneworld afterwards, considering the pressure such a move could place on Hong Kong-based founding member Cathay Pacific.

That being said, Oneworld has been making other moves of its own, recently announcing it will welcome its first African member airline next year. Casablanca-based Royal Air Maroc doesn’t have non-stop connections to Asia-Pacific; however, it does fly to other Oneworld hubs such as London Heathrow, Doha and New York JFK. In Asia-Pacific, Oneworld also has officially brought Fiji Airways into the fold as its first Oneworld Connect partner, a scheme aimed at enabling carriers unable to meet full membership criteria – but whose networks are relevant to existing members – to join the alliance. skyteam.com; oneworld.com