TAM Airlines, a company
related to LATAM Airlines Group, will join oneworld with effect from 31 March
2014, adding the leading carrier in Brazil – Latin America’s biggest economy
and largest market for air travel demand – to the world’s leading quality global
airline alliance.
Confirmation of its
oneworld joining date comes on the same day that LAN Colombia – which is, like
TAM, a company related to LATAM Airlines Group - becomes part of oneworld,
offering the alliance’s full range of services and benefits, from the start of
operations this morning.
The addition of TAM from
31 March 2014 and LAN Colombia will mean all passenger airlines in LATAM
Airlines Group, Latin America ’s leading
airline group, will be part of oneworld, the world’s leading quality airline
alliance. LAN Airlines has been a full member of oneworld since 2000. All its
other passenger airline affiliates have subsequently joined the alliance as
affiliate members – LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador, LAN Peru and, from now on, LAN
Colombia - and now TAM from 31 March and with its Paraguayan affiliate to
follow on a date yet to be confirmed.
This consolidates
oneworld’s position as the leading alliance for flights within Latin America
and between the region and both the United States
and Europe - the two most popular destinations
for South American international travellers.
TAM’s entry into oneworld
with effect from the first flights on 31 March 2014 will follow immediately
upon its exit from the Star Alliance with effect from the final flights on 30
March 2014.
The airline and oneworld
are taking every effort to ensure that the alliance transition is as seamless
as possible for customers.
TAM underlined that all
members of its Fidelidade frequent flyer programme will maintain all points
earned and their respective tier status, according to the applicable conditions
of the programme. A thorough communications plan is being developed to brief
them in detail on all the benefits and privileges they will receive as part of
oneworld from 31 March – including the ability to earn and redeem points on any
of the alliance’s member airlines.
These include leading
brands from each global region. Besides LAN, they feature American Airlines
from North America; airberlin, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia and Russia’s S7
Airlines from Europe; Royal Jordanian, from the Middle East; Asia-Pacific’s
Cathay Pacific Airways, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Qantas; and some
30 affiliated airlines with other recruits also lining up to join in the months
ahead.
The 140 million members of
these established oneworld airlines’ frequent flyer programmes will also be
able to earn and redeem awards and tier status points and receive all other
oneworld privileges on TAM Airlines from 31 March – and on LAN Colombia from today.
As it becomes part of the
group on 31 March 2014, TAM’s network will be covered by oneworld’s range of
alliance fares – the most extensive offered by any of the global alliances,
including the market-leading oneworld Explorer round-the-world fare and its
Visit South America pass.
TAM serves 60 destinations
in 16 countries in Latin America, the USA
and Europe , with a fleet of 161 aircraft
operating 800 departures daily. It boarded 38 million passengers in 2012.
Since its launch in
December 2011, LAN Colombia has quickly established itself as the second
biggest airline in South America ’s second
largest economy. In total, it serves 24 airports in four countries with a fleet
of 24 aircraft operating 130 departures a day. It boarded 3.7 million passengers
in 2012.
Four of oneworld’s
established members – American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia and LAN – currently serve a total of
seven destinations in Brazil Brazil
Across South
America , oneworld’s established member airlines already serve 71
destinations in 11 countries. TAM and LAN Colombia add another 56 airports in
the region to that network, giving oneworld one of the most extensive alliance
networks serving the continent.
Worldwide, with TAM, LAN
Colombia and the other airlines lining up to join, oneworld will:
Serve almost a thousand
airports in more than 150 countries, with 14,000 daily departures.
Carry 480 million
passengers a year on a combined fleet of more than 3,200 aircraft.
Generate US$ 140 billion
annual revenues.
The addition of TAM from
31 March and LAN Colombia today represents a cornerstone of oneworld’s biggest
membership expansion yet. Other elements elsewhere in the world include:
The addition of Malaysia
Airlines, one of this industry’s most frequent award winners, six months ago,
further strengthening oneworld’s position in South East
Asia , one of the fastest growing regions for air travel demand.
The induction on 30
October 2013 of Qatar Airways, the only one of the “Gulf Big Three” carriers
slated to join any of the global airline alliances and one of the world’s
fastest growing and most highly rated airlines. This will make oneworld the
leading alliance in the Middle East , one of
the world’s fastest growing regions for air travel demand.
The introduction early
next year of SriLankan Airlines, as the first airline from the Indian
subcontinent to join any global alliance, which, with Qatar Airways, will make
oneworld the leading alliance in the region.
In addition, US Airways
proposes to switch from Star to oneworld as part of its planned merger with
American Airlines, subject to necessary approvals.
oneworld’s CEO Bruce Ashby
said: “As the leading airline in Latin America’s biggest economy, Brazil
TAM Airlines’ CEO Claudia
Sender added: “We want to introduce Brazil
