The OneWorld alliance has just celebrated its 20th anniversary by announcing a series of innovations:
– An improved digital experience with interoperability between the member airlines’ mobile applications thanks to the implementation of a common digital platform, a sort of base on which the airlines will be able to build their online services.
– The joining of Royal Air Maroc in 2020 and the first member of the OneWorld Connect partnership platform: Fiji Airways.
– A new site with a new brand identity.
And another great novelty: the introduction this year of OneWorld lounges in airports.
Alliance lounges are already a reality at Skyteam and Star Alliance. Their interest is to allow the pooling of resources by offering a common lounge in a given airport that will welcome passengers from all member airlines.
It is better to have a single lounge with a decent service than 3, 4 or 5 average or even mediocre lounges, each operated by an airline that does not have the passenger volume to justify investing more.
In Dubai, for example, if the Skyteam lounge remains perfectible, it represents a major improvement compared to the catastrophic Air France lounge it replaced.
On the OneWorld side, it has always been a case of “every man for himself” since the creation of the alliance in 1999, and it would seem that it is now time for more synergies for a better customer experience.
However, it is not yet known which airports will be affected.
Photo : Qantas lounge by First Class Photography via shutterstock
