Qatar Airways to Join Oneworld, Air France-KLM, Air Berlin to Codeshare with Etihad

Qatar Airways’ business-class seating on a 777

Qatar Airways announced plans to join the oneworld alliance, becoming the first of a trio of prominent Middle East carriers to become part of one of the three global marketing groups, oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance.

Oneworld announced Doha-based Qatar Airways’ election as a member designate and the airline will officially join the group within the next 12 to 18 months. The  move adds fifteen destinations and three countries to the alliance.

Separately, Air France-KLM, Air Berlin, and Etihad Airways announced a series of code-share agreements that cover routes between Europe and Etihad’s hub in Abu Dhabi.  The agreements will allow Etihad to sell seats on KLM flights from Amsterdam to Abu Dhabi, and Air France to offer seats on Etihad flights between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Abu Dhabi.  Other code-shares will cover Etihad routes to Asia and Australia that Air France and KLM can sell, and Air France and KLM European destinations that Etihad can offer to its customers.

Air Berlin, in which Etihad owns a 29.2% stake, entered into a separate code-share agreement with Air France-KLM covering routes between France and Germany and the Netherlands and Germany, including connecting flights in Paris, Berlin, and Düsseldorf.

(Photo: Jonathan Spira)