One small step towards Oneworld?
 

Air China and Cathay Pacific announce frequent flyer programme partnership

Air China Limited (hereinafter “Air China”) and Cathay Pacific Airways today announced that members of their frequent flyer programmes will be able to accrue and redeem miles on flights operated by both carriers as part of a closer strategic partnership between the two airlines.

As part of the memorandum recently signed in Beijing by Air China Executive Vice President Cai Jianjiang and Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Philip Chen, Air China’s Air China Companion members will be able to earn and redeem miles when flying on Cathay Pacific-operated services world-wide. Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles members will be able to do the same when flying with Air China to destinations in the Chinese Mainland and overseas. The co-operation will come into effect in the third quarter of this year.

As well as being able to redeem free airline tickets, miles from both programmes can be used to obtain a wide range of other rewards.

The Air China Companion programme has more than 2.4 million members holding Silver, Gold and Platinum Companion cards. The programme is partnered with a number of airlines, luxury hotel groups such as Marriott, InterContinental and Mandarin Oriental, as well as with telecommunication and car rental companies. It also offers a co-branded Air China Companion credit card with a number of banks.

Asia Miles has more than 240 partners in 9 categories. They include airlines, finance and insurance, hotels, telecommunications, cars and transport, retail, dining, travel and leisure and health and beauty.

Cathay Pacific and Air China’s co-operation on frequent flyer programmes offers a wider choice of rewards across a greater number of categories to customers of both airlines. This will strengthen both Air China and Cathay Pacific as preferred carriers and benefit them in their respective home bases.

(From CX Website)

Just because an airline partners with an Oneworld airline doesn't make them a candidate for Oneworld membership.

Why aren't you as excited for the other Asiamiles partners...notably GulfAir, RoyalBrunei Airlines, DragonAir.. etc?

I didnt see any delight in the posting at all, just a copied press release. But it is indeed not a very big step towards OneWorld membership for Air China.

That is abs true but it's a safe bet to say that next 1W member is most likely to be Chinese or one of the Middle-Eastern airlines, none of Chinese qualifies at the moment but CA is getting there. KA's network is nowhere near extensive enough and the others are just awful. I expect them to join within two-three years. China is just too big a market for 1W to lose to StarA.

One third of ~200,000 miles I do each year is on Chinese airlines, mainly domestic (much prefer CX for long haul and I do at least 2 LH each month). I must say though some of the best crew I've come across are on CA, they just lack consistency...give them time.

Why aren't I as excited for the other Asiamiles partners...well, I have Plat on the KA Elite programme but can't say I would miss flying KA if they disappear tomorrow. Never flown on Gulf or RB...

As for miles4all - you can carry on being miserable.

The Sunday Times published a piece of gossip in their travel section some time back about Emirates joining oneworld although I didn't really put much faith in it - besides, joining an alliance isn't an Emirates priority or need. On the other hand, I'd be quite happy if GulfAir joined as I believe it's one of their mid/long term goals.

Well, well CX delight,

Actually I wrote the mail in support of you because I thought that wildrice was being a bit aggresive.....claiming that you indicated excitement in your posting, when you didnt do anything like that. It was just a copied press release.

This is a very friendly forum and there is really no reason to go around and wish people to be miserable!

Really? I heard good things about KA. Though I've only flown on them once and it was just before a typhoon hit HK afew years back. Staff were scurrying around like headless chooks...J class was nice.

Did you hear the latest though about Malev Hungarian Airlines about to join Oneworld?

Now that IS a shocker! :)

Missed this thread and I am quite happy to hear the news!!!
-UFFA

Emirates seem to be determined to go it alone and have broken links with other FF schemes like BA. I would thus think it is unlikely that EK would be looking to hook up with an alliance anytime soon and in any event their business model is based upon longhaul feeds into the DXB hub, so it is arguable that they would derive little tangible benefit from alliance membership (however they retain the presumably useful arrangement with UA in the US).

My money would be on GF as a 1W member. They are starting to develop an interesting product and their feeder network is far less extensive than EK.

The problem with GF is that it is a 'dry' airline.

So this will pose a problem for those accustomed to CX's Chateau Lynch Bages to fly on an airline that serves Shirley Temples as their strongest concoction available!

Not according to their inflight menu . I think SV and KU might be dry though.

Oh? This is new! I thought they are.

Thanks for the heads up!

It's been a while since I was there but the GF flights into Saudi, Kuwait and Iran very likely would be alcohol-free.

But then my most popular GF flight was DHA-BAH - all 27 miles

YMMV

WF

Flew GF HKG-LHR in first last year and very very definitely absolutely not dry :) Absolutely the best airline food I've ever eaten also...might even do it again (for leisure travel only) in spite of all the aggravation of the transfers in Bahrain etc...