Celestar. I don't see the situation you describe either happening or being a problem. Clearly, Qualiflyer elite staus can not become Oneworld status just because a single Qualiflyer airline joins the alliance. Accordingly, if SR wish to join Oneworld they would have to leave Qualiflyer and relaunch their own ff program. Airlines do relaunch their ff programs occasionally after all (DL, TW, etc.). Even then, they could stay in a single program with any other Qualiflyer airlines who join OW at the same time.

I guess the new program would work along the lines of: New members acquire and redeem miles in the "New SR program" only. Members with miles in both have the choice to redeem them under the "New" chart or the Qualiflyer chart when SR leave. Once a member has spent his Qualiflyer miles he may only use the "new" chart. Elite status would be determined over a transitional year, turning two levels in to three (rather like CO's elite reorganisation last year, but better managed). Even if SR did formally leave Qualiflyer, they wouldn't have to end mileage accrual or redemption with their current partners (at least for a while).

This may be a thorny issue for SR and may introduce legal and marketing difficulties, but it is a price that must be payed for joining a superior, more formal alliance. Such an alliance must have revenue advantages for the airline and hopefully service advantages for the customers. SR and Qualifyer will therefore just have to deal with it.

James