Malev to join OneWorld

[Mark Lewis]

http://www.oneworldalliance.com/pressroom/releases/details.cfm?ObjectID=5051

Seems an odd choice, I understand what Malev gain, but cant quite see what OneWorld get out of it. Fairly meagre domestic service, the same European service as all the other European members, and a handful of Interncontinental services :hmm:

[bmibaby.com]

oneworld is losing out in Eastern Europe to Star & Skyteam. Star already has LOT (and Adria & Jat as associated members) and Skyteam has CSA. BA doesn't have a huge market penetration in Eastern Europe, although I'm not sure about Finnair. Malev will obviously have to improve their services if they want to join oneworld, but I'm sure they will bring a much needed expansion to oneworld.

Malev have been a long-time partner of British Airways on flights between the United Kingdom & Hungary, and I'm sure that the same stands for American on flights to the USA. Also, aren't Malev's longhaul routes already into AA city hubs?

[flyer55]

Its good to see the Oneworld Alliance getting bigger, their was me thinking the Star Alliance was taking over .....

[BombardierCR7]

Adria and Croatia Airlines (not Jat Airways as someone posted before) are Regional StarAlliance members powerful in some of the balkan countries connecting into LH hubs MUC and FRA and OS in VIE . Carpatair are also being courted to join as a regional member (seconded by LH) to increase penetration into Romania through their Timosoara hub. Austrian Airlines are however the major hub player in that part of the world for Star serving most major cities in eastern Europe from VIE. I real terms, Star have a very strong network in Eastern Europe. So possibly one of the (many) reasons for Malev joining OneWorld, just helps OneWorld (or BA in real terms) block a little piece in the jigsaw there from StarAlliance.

[MarkD]

Well, that made up for losing SR-LX to LH, losing Canadian to AC and possibly QF if the NZ merger goes ahead.

(oh, and US/HP to Star and KL to AF/Skyteam)

I wonder if Malev get much traffic via DUB to North American dests, although connecting there is a bit crap!