oneworld adds new benefits for frequent fliers

oneworld today adds two more benefits for the most loyal customers of its member airlines – priority baggage delivery for frequent flyers with oneworld Emerald and Sapphire tier status and an additional checked baggage allowance for Sapphire cardholders.

Both new privileges are in addition to the benefits already offered to frequent flyers with oneworld Emerald or Sapphire status when flying on any oneworld member airline in any class.

oneworld chief executive Bruce Ashby said: “oneworld aims to be the first choice airline alliance for regular international travellers.

“Our frequent flyer benefits – which we believe are already the most compelling offered by any airline alliance – provide them with the highest levels of recognition, services and benefits when they need to travel beyond their home airline’s own network.

“Six months ago, oneworld concluded its biggest yet membership expansion, with the addition in the past two years of 15 airlines as full members or affiliates.

“With this successfully completed, we are now carrying out a full review of everything the alliance provides its member airlines and customers to ensure oneworld offers the best.

“These two new benefits are the first initiatives to be rolled out as part of this process.”

Most oneworld member airlines already aim to deliver as a priority checked baggage for their own top-level frequent flyers, along with other passengers flying in First or Business Class.

Now, this benefit is being extended to all frequent flyers with the equivalent of oneworld Emerald and Sapphire in any of the alliance member airlines’ loyalty programmes when they fly in any cabin class with oneworld member airlines anywhere in the world.

Following the launch last year of an additional baggage allowance for the alliance member airlines’ most loyal customers – those with the top tier oneworld Emerald status – now cardholders with the next highest status, Sapphire, will also receive an additional baggage benefit.

From today, when travelling on any flight operated and marketed by any oneworld member airline, the following special baggage privileges will apply to all Sapphire cardholders:

• On international or domestic itineraries using the baggage allowance “weight” system – 15 kgs in addition to the ticketed Economy allowance.
• On international itineraries (including domestic sectors flown as part of international itineraries) using the baggage allowance “piece” system – a second bag, weighing up to 23 kgs, when the ticketed allowance is one bag.
• On purely domestic itineraries with flights using the baggage allowance “piece” system – the assurance of at least one piece of checked baggage, weighing up to 23 kgs, even when the regular ticketed allowance has no free allowance.
• Customers travelling in First and Business Class cabins will in most cases receive an even greater free checked baggage allowance.

With all oneworld member airlines already granting Sapphire-level members of their own frequent flyer programme an additional baggage benefit when they fly on their “own” airline, today’s move extends this privilege to when those customers travel on oneworld partner airlines.