WASHINGTON -- Irish carrier Aer Lingus could join the oneworld frequent-flier alliance as soon as next year, though the timing remains in flux.

That’s according to Willie Walsh, CEO of the International Airlines Group (IAG) that includes Aer Lingus as well as British Airways, Iberia and Spanish low-cost carrier Vueling.

“The plan is Aer Lingus will rejoin the oneworld alliance and therefore will benefit from the arrangements that apply,” Walsh said in an interview with Today in the Sky last week.
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“We’re also intending to bring Aer Lingus into the trans-Atlantic joint business that we have with Finnair and American Airlines,” Walsh said, noting that there’s some overlap in the efforts to bring Aer Lingus into those tie-ups.