oneworld Priority to smooth the way for frequent flyers

[dairyfloss]

Hi Folks - just received the below media release from oneworld News. There's probably little change to what anyone is seeing today, already, but I'm hopeful it might assist in certain ports, if implemented well...

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oneworld News[/TD]
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[TD]oneworld Priority to smooth the way for frequent flyers
Thursday, 25 June 2015

oneworld® is to make it easier for frequent flyers to see where they can take advantage of the privileges the alliance offers them at airports, making their journeys on the ground smoother still.
Distinctive new oneworld “Priority” branding will highlight key touchpoints where the alliance’s benefits are offered to top tier frequent flyers – at check-in, fast tracks, lounges and boarding.
The new oneworld Priority logo will also feature the three oneworld frequent flyer gemstone tier status symbols – Emerald, Sapphire and Ruby – as appropriate, to enable these cardholders to identify quickly and easily where they are entitled to receive their special oneworld benefits.
The project will involve replacing signage at all 1,000 plus airports served by oneworld member airlines in 155 countries worldwide.
The first airport to receive the treatment is Australia’s Perth, where the new signs were due to be unveiled today. It will be followed by Sydney, Melbourne, Berlin Tegel and Dusseldorf in August, various gateways in the USA from September, and Doha and Amman in October.
All 125 of the top airports globally for business travellers, including all the alliance’s hubs, will feature oneworld Priority signage within a year. The roll out will be completed across all 1,000 plus airports on the oneworld network within the following 12 months.
oneworld CEO Bruce Ashby said: “We firmly believe that oneworld offers the most compelling range of alliance benefits for our most loyal customers. We also know that identifying where to take advantage of those privileges in often cluttered airport environments, particularly in unfamiliar surroundings, can sometimes be a challenge, even for the most frequent traveller.
“The new oneworld Priority signage is designed to overcome that. The message to our frequent flyers is simple - look for the oneworld Priority logo to see where your oneworld privileges are offered.
“This will smooth their journeys through airports around the world further still, while also improving awareness of the various benefits oneworld provides these most loyal customers, enabling oneworld to stand above its alliance competitors in this important part of the overall passenger journey.”
The new logo will appear on signage wherever key airport benefits are offered to the alliance’s top tier frequent flyers.
For oneworld Emerald tier card holders, this means:

• First Class or Business Class check-in desks, which they can use even when booked in Economy Class.
• Fast track through security checks at select airports.
• First Class, Business Class or frequent flyer lounges which they can use when flying internationally, even when not booked to fly in First or even Business Class. oneworld is the only global airline alliance to offer the use of First Class facilities to its highest tier frequent flyers.
• Priority boarding lines.

For oneworld Sapphire tier card holders, this means:

• Business Class check-in desks, which they can use even when booked in Economy Class.
• Business Class and frequent flyer lounges which they can use when flying internationally, even when booked in Economy Class.
• Priority boarding lines.

For oneworld Ruby tier card holders, this means:

• Business Class check-in desks, which they can use even when booked to fly in Economy Class (see note below).

oneworld offers top-tier frequent flyers some 650 airport lounges worldwide. These include some of the best in the world, with lounges offered by oneworld member airlines taking seven of the top 10 places in the latest ranking of the world’s best airport lounges by specialist airline industry website thedesignair.net in conjunction with Airways magazine.
In addition to the airport privileges offered to oneworld frequent flyers, they can also earn and redeem rewards on oneworld member airlines and earn tier status points. They have access to preferred or pre-reserved seating and are given priority on waitlists and when on standby. Sapphire and Emerald cardholders receive additional check-in baggage allowances and priority baggage handling, as well.
To find out which oneworld frequent flyer tier equates to which tier in each oneworld member airline’s own frequent flyer programme, and for full details of all oneworld frequent flyer benefits, see oneworld.com/benefits
Note: Qantas will offer oneworld Ruby cardholders check-in at Business Class desks from 1 August, and its signage will be updated to that effect from then. Meantime, Qantas will continue to offer Rubys check-in at Premium Economy counters.
About oneworld
oneworld is an alliance of 15 of the world’s leading airlines, committed to providing the highest level of service and convenience to frequent international travellers. Member airlines include airberlin, American Airlines (including US Airways), British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN Airlines, TAM Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines and SriLankan Airlines, plus around 30 affiliated carriers. Between them, as part of oneworld, these airlines:

• Serve more than 1,010 airports in some 155 countries, with 14,300 daily departures.
• Carried nearly 515 million passengers last year on a combined fleet of almost 3,500 aircraft.
• Generate US$ 145 billion annual revenues.

oneworld member airlines work together to deliver consistently a superior, seamless travel experience, with special privileges and rewards for frequent flyers, including earning and redeeming miles and points across the entire alliance network. Top tier cardholders (Emerald and Sapphire) enjoy access to more than 600 airport lounges and are offered extra baggage allowances and priority baggage delivery. The most regular travellers (Emerald) can also use fast track security lanes at select airports.
oneworld is the current holder of six of the nine leading “best airline alliance” titles available in the various industry award schemes:

• FlightStats’ On-Time Performance Award 2014, for the second time running.
• Skytrax’s World’s Best Airline Alliance 2015 for the third year running.
• Business Traveller’s 2014 Best Airline Alliance, for the second year running.
• Global Traveler magazine’s Best Airline Alliance in its GT Tested Reader Survey 2014 Awards for the fifth year running.
• World Travel Awards’ World’s Leading Airline Alliance 2014, for the 12th year running.
• Premier Traveler’s Best of 2014 Readers Survey Best Airline Alliance, for the second year running.

For more news from oneworld, see www.oneworld.com/news-information/oneworldnews/
For media queries only:

Michael Blunt
Vice-President Corporate Communications
[email protected]
Phone: +44 7711 997487[/TD]
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[TD]oneworld alliance · 2 Park Avenue · Suite 1100 · New York, NY 10016 · USA
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Cheers,
Matt.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The major thing I can see is that Qantas will offer OWR business class check-in from 1 August.

 

[dairyfloss]

The major thing I can see is that Qantas will offer OWR business class check-in from 1 August.

Yes, indeed. Aus BT have added an article today, after the oneworld release, which focuses on that aspect as well:
Qantas opens business class check-in to Silver frequent flyers - Australian Business Traveller

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[Himeno]

I don't understand the need to change. It was all quite clear before...

 

[SeatBackForward]

I don't understand the need to change. It was all quite clear before...

over 3600+ posts on this thread means it may not be all that clear:
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....priority-boarding-qf-domestic-what-30246.html

 

[Danger]

The third dot point benefit under Emerald struck me. It states that First lounge access is available when flying internationally. No mention of domestically or just 'First lounge access'.

 

[dairyfloss]

The third dot point benefit under Emerald struck me. It states that First lounge access is available when flying internationally. No mention of domestically or just 'First lounge access'.

Hmmmm... WP JQ domestic travellers to be impacted? I guess it's not a OW policy that enables WPs to enter the F lounges for JQi DOM tag flights anyway - it's QF's own policy. Could be to appease AA, who have quite the complex set of limitations on the use of their Flagship lounges?

 

[Isochronous]

Hmmmm... WP JQ domestic travellers to be impacted? I guess it's not a OW policy that enables WPs to enter the F lounges for JQi DOM tag flights anyway - it's QF's own policy. Could be to appease AA, who have quite the complex set of limitations on the use of their Flagship lounges?

JQ is not a oneworld member so this announcement is not relevant to what QF does with JQ flights.

 

[Danger]

Hmmmm... WP JQ domestic travellers to be impacted? I guess it's not a OW policy that enables WPs to enter the F lounges for JQi DOM tag flights anyway - it's QF's own policy. Could be to appease AA, who have quite the complex set of limitations on the use of their Flagship lounges?

We all know how important wording is in the T&Cs when it comes to benefits.

It may well be an oversight but I'm skeptical.

Far apart from JQ passengers (which, as noted, is irrelevant to the oneworld rules), there are many, many passengers who have access to First lounges when travelling domestically. The AA Flagship lounges and the BA First lounges in London are a case in point.