Stakeholders are not doing enough to help the commercial air transport sector address its environmental impact, leaving airlines in danger of missing near- and long-term targets, in the view of American Airlines chief executive Robert Isom. Speaking at the IATA World Sustainability Symposium in Miami on 24 September, Isom said that while his airline and others are making progress on the net-zero journey, “bold and aggressive” actions are needed from stakeholders. “I’d be remiss if I didn’t sound the alarm; we’re not moving fast enough,” he states. “We risk falling short of both our short and long-term climate goals without a lot more investment, smarter policies and fast scaling of technological solutions.” Among specific areas where Isom believes faster progress is required, he cites a need for policymakers globally “to create the right conditions for… investment in the expansion of new industries like sustainable aviation fuel”. He further calls on governments to modernise airspace, for aircraft manufacturers to invest “aggressively” in the next generation of aircraft, for “innovators and scientists” to work on breakthrough technologies, and for public and private stakeholders to work more closely together. More broadly, Isom suggests that scaling the use of new technologies and fuels will require “unprecedented” collaboration among airlines and other stakeholders.<br/>
oneworld
Hawaiian Airlines will join the Oneworld alliance in 2026 after Alaska Airlines (AS, Seattle Tacoma International) completed its acquisition of the carrier last week. Currently a free agent, Hawaiian will be the alliance's third US member, alongside Alaska and American Airlines (AA, Dallas/Fort Worth). "We expect Hawaiian to officially join Oneworld in 2026 in conjunction with reaching a single passenger service system," an Alaska Airlines spokesperson told the UpgradedPoints news site. Pending US FAA approval, the US$1.9b deal will see both airlines use a single operating certificate. In the meantime, there are no immediate changes to operations and the two carriers will maintain separate websites, reservation systems, and loyalty programmes until later in the integration process. However, in a September 18 statement, Alaska Airlines was already promoting the takeover's benefits to passengers. The Alaska/Hawaiian entity operates circa 1,500 daily flights to 141 destinations, including 29 international markets in the Americas, Asia, Australia, and the South Pacific, and says its passengers will have access to over 1,200 global destinations through the Oneworld alliance and other partners, among other things.<br/>
Taiwan’s STARLUX Airlines (JX) seeks to obtain oneworld Alliance membership in 2025. The Taipei-based (TPE) carrier has said it will apply for membership by the end of next year. If it is successful in doing so, this will be the alliance’s first entry into Taiwan. AirAsia to up domestic flights until year-end. The move is part of JX’s broader strategy to enhance efficiency and expand its presence in the international market. The airline currently operates flights primarily within Asia. JX CEO Chai Chien-Hua said joining the alliance would allow JX to collaborate with member carriers on flight schedules, transits, and frequent flyer programs. The oneworld Alliance currently has 15 major airlines, including American Airlines (AA), British Airways (BA), Cathay Pacific (CX), Qantas (QF), and Qatar Airways (QR), amongst others. Combined, these airlines serve over 900 destinations globally. In June, Fiji Airways became a full member of the oneworld Alliance, after having been a One World Connect partner since 2018.<br/>