Major domestic carrier in Russia
S7 Airlines, the largest domestic carrier in Russia, is to join the oneworld alliance.
The ten members of the group, among them BA, American Airlines and Japan Airlines, voted "unanimously" for the Russian carrier to join.
S7 is the second Russian airline to join one of the major alliances. The national carrier Aeroflot is already a member of SkyTeam.
S7 serves 72 destinations, including 35 in Russia and the rest in eight different countries, all former members of the CIS: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Its membership will expand oneworld's reach to 750 destinations in nearly 150 countries, a statement by the alliance said.
S7 carried 6 million passengers in 2008, with a bigger share of the domestic Russian air travel market than any other airline. It is Russia's second biggest carrier.
S7's main hub Moscow Domodedovo - the capital's most modern airport - is served also by oneworld members American, BA, Iberia, Japan Airlines and Royal Jordanian.
Its secondary hubs are Novosibirsk and Irkutsk. Its international destinations include hubs Madrid and Bangkok.
The carrier will begin its 18 month joining process on June 1 and become a member next year.
John McCulloch, oneworld's managing partner, said: "S7 fills one of oneworld's few remaining membership ‘white spaces' with a carrier that matches our alliance's demanding quality requirements.
It will expand oneworld's presence substantially in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, while enabling S7 to offer its customers a truly global network on quality partners."
Vladimir Obyedkov, S7's chief executive, said: "Becoming part of oneworld is one of the most significant steps in S7's history.
"It will enable us to offer our customers a truly global network served by partners who include some of the best known and most admired airlines in the world, while our frequent flyers will have more opportunities to earn and redeem mileage rewards and enjoy all their other benefits.
"It will also strengthen us financially, through revenues from passengers transferring to our network from our oneworld partners and the cost reduction opportunities the alliance offers."
www.s7.ru/en www.oneworld.com