KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's national carrier, Malaysia Airlines, is to become the 12 airline of the award-winning OneWorld Alliance on February 1 next year in a move seen as part of the airlines efforts to boost services as it faces economic struggles. In a statement released on Thursday, Malaysia Airlines said it won the ‘World's Best Cabin Crew' award this year, making it the seventh time in 11 years and also the ‘Best Airline Signature Dish' from Skytrax, the United Kingdom based world's leading airline and airport review organisation. It said Skytrax awarded Malaysia Airlines the “5-Star Airline” status this year, an award that was made possible through its consistent 40 years of exclusive Malaysian hospitality delivery to its customers. Meanwhile, speaking on this development after attending the Oneworld Governing Board Meeting in London, MAS Group Chief Executive Officer, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, said the airline was on the last lap of the path towards becoming a full-fledged member of a fast growing award-winning alliance. He said almost all system interface and fares standardisation requirements for the membership had been completed. Ahmad Jauhari also said it was an exciting time for both MAS and Oneworld, which already has attracted Sri Lankan Airlines and Qatar Airways both of which will be joining the leading global airlines alliance after MAS. “With our business plan showing positive results since its launch last December, this is an opportune time for our induction into this global alliance,” he said, adding that the membership will strengthen the airline's competitive position considerably. It would enable MAS customers to enjoy a truly global network together with its partners who include some of the best and biggest airlines in the world. MAS would be able to also tap into all the financial benefits that come from being part of a global alliance, through additional passenger feed and cost reduction opportunities. “We are indeed very pleased and proud to join what is clearly the world's top quality airline grouping on Feb 1. “Malaysia Airlines will start offering Oneworld's full range of services and benefits from Feb 1, 2013 and will be the second carrier in the alliance operating the A380 after Qantas, its Oneworld entry sponsor,” the statement said. The Malaysian airline membership will also expand Oneworld's global coverage to some 840 destinations in 156 countries, served by some 9,000 departures a day operated by a combined fleet of some 2,500 aircraft, carrying nearly 340 million passengers a year, with annual revenues of US$110 billion.
