Qatar to leave oneworld?
 

This has been in the news the last few weeks. I agree that QR may not be getting the full benefits of good relationships with some of the other members but I struggle to see how leaving would suddenly make it better for them. AA and QF would be free to become even less friendly and probably have the political connections to do it. DL and UA would not make QR happy either.

QR does have their investments in OW carriers as a leverage though but its not big enough in and of itself to break up and reshape OW in its prefered image.

I'm glad that QR is in OW and hope they stay. It would also not be the end of the world if they left.

AAB make a lot of noise. Most people ignore him.
AA has an association with EY
QF has an association with EK

Thread on QR forum---->https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qata...-oneworld.html

And with its current issues in the Middle East I can't see it's in QRs interest to be turning away any traffic.

Just because you are in Oneworld doesn't mean you have to work together (eg QF and CX)

I wonder if QR might just change status within OW. Go from full partner to OW connect. Since it has financial tie to IAG and CX, they would be partners with BA, IB, & CX (full OW benefits) while being able to ignore AA & QF FF members.

I think this misses QR's issue. For multiple reasons they need AA and QF to play more than they need the others. Also for multiple reasons AA and QF need QR much less. QR has much to gain but AA and QF have little to lose. Its not a matter of AA and QF holding out for a better deal because they don't really need a deal.

“CEO Akbar Al Baker renews his threat to leave...” yawn! AAB stated QR would not join oneworld - iirc, the day before it was announced QR was joining oneworld. When AA complains about the ME3, he threatens to withdraw. Now he’s petulant about QF, and he’s threatening to leave. IMO, his credibility is a bit soft, and leaving would hurt QR more than oneworld.

It doesn't seem that long ago when Air Italy were launching that I recall AAB talking about wanting to get Air Italy into oneworld asap. I wonder if the threats about Qatar leaving are to try to get Air Italy quick entry to oneworld.