Oneworld airline alliance strong, chief says

The chief of the Oneworld airline alliance, which counts Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways as a member, has said that relations among carriers in the group are strong despite exit rumours and infighting. CEO Rob Gurney was speaking amid speculation member Qatar Airways would leave the group, as it feuds with Qantas and American Airlines over flight routes. Qatar’s investment in 13 potential partners of the alliance has also sparked concern about the company tightening its grip on the group. The Middle Eastern carrier holds stakes in Cathay Pacific and the International Airlines Group, which controls BA and Iberia. Gurney, however, said he was relaxed about the often fraught relations among members, and dismissed the idea that the Doha-based carrier was able to exert more influence through its stakes in fellow airlines. “There are going to be misalignments of views and conflict and disagreements from time to time. The majority of our member airlines are competing against each other in one form or another,” he said. “Of course there are debates but you don’t get good outcomes without robust debate. It is highly collegiate. There’s a fantastic working culture among the airlines.” Disagreeing that airlines were jostling to exert influence over each other in the group, he said: “I don’t see any evidence of that whatsoever.”<br/>