oneworld

2025 will see two more airlines join the ranks of the Oneworld alliance, along with the possibility of more Oneworld-branded lounges opening their doors. Fiji Airways will upgrade its Oneworld Connect partner status to become a full Oneworld member. “We already have substantial relationships such as codeshares with most of the four founding members of Oneworld, so becoming a full member will take it to another level,” Fiji Airways CEO Andre Viljoen has previously shared with Executive Traveller, adding that the Pacific carrier has a “desire to become a full member to get access to the full benefits.” The elevated benefits will include access to any Oneworld lounge when flying with Fiji Airways – including codeshares with other Oneworld members – for business class travellers and frequent flyers. Fiji Airways is also on track to roll out the AAdvantage loyalty program of Oneworld founding member American Airlines as its own rewards scheme. Oman Air – like Fiji Airways, a relatively small but well-regarded carrier – will take its seat at the Oneworld table on 30 June. The Muscat-based airline views 2025 as a year for cautious growth, with a pair of new Boeing 787s joining its fleet and a possible return to Singapore. Qantas has already established a partnership with Oman Air, unlocking business and economy fares to Muscat and beyond – including Europe – at top-value Classic Reward rates. Hawaiian Airlines is expected to be next in line to join Oneworld, following a US$1.9bn buyout by Alaska Airlines. The merger of the Seattle- and Honolulu-based carriers will result in what Alaska describes as “a single operation with two public-facing brands, Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines,” each operating from its respective hub.<br/>

American Airlines' stock is poised for a strong 2025 as the carrier emerges from a challenging year, according to brokerages Jefferies and TD Cowen, who upgraded the stock to a "buy" rating on Monday. Shares of the carrier were up nearly 5% at $17.76 in premarket trading. The carrier spent much of 2024 rebuilding its sales strategy and mending relationships with corporate clients after a sales and distribution approach backfired. American had implemented a strategy aimed at renegotiating contracts with corporate travel agencies and clients, reducing perks and discounts, which it pushed aggressively since April 2023. The approach had resulted in an exodus of corporate clients last year, negatively impacting the airline's revenue. American fell significantly behind its network competitors United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, the other members of the "Big 3" network carriers. "In hindsight, we were too early with our upgrade a year ago and then failed to appreciate the transitory nature of their headwinds when we downgraded the shares in July," TD Cowen's Tom Fitzgerald wrote in a note. The brokerage raised its price target on the stock to $25 from $17 and said the legacy carrier is expected to benefit from an improvement in domestic pricing and the return of its corporate customers.<br/>

Flights from Doha to Damascus International Airport will resume on Tuesday after 13 years, national airline Qatar Airways has said. The airline halted its services to Damascus and Aleppo in 2011 due to the country's civil war. The airline said it was working with authorities to ensure that all necessary safety, security and operational standards were met before the relaunch. Qatar Airways Group CE Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said: “We are pleased to resume flights to Damascus, a destination of great historical and cultural importance. This announcement underscores our dedication to fostering connectivity and facilitating travel for our passengers.” The resumption of flights to Syria comes after operations were suspended at the airport when Bashar Al Assad's government was toppled on December 8 last year. Qatar Airways' first flight will leave Hamad International Airport in the capital at 10.05am local time. The return from Damascus to Doha is due to take off at 3pm local time. Trips between the two cities will be re-established with three weekly flights beginning on Tuesday. Syrian Air is also resuming flights on Tuesday, with trips between Damascus and Dubai for Dh1,030 ($280), fully booked until January 13, a member of the airline's staff told The National. The Syrian Arab News Agency quoted Ashhad Al Salibi, chairman of the Syrian General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport, as saying: "We reassure Arab and international airlines that we are in the process of fully rehabilitating both Aleppo and Damascus airports, with the assistance of our partners, to ensure they can receive flights from all over the world." The National approached other airlines across the region about their plans to resume flights to Syria, with most unable to offer any update as they were taking a wait-and-see approach.<br/>