In 2019, the oneworld alliance which includes American Airlines, Alaska, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and more, announced plans for its first alliance-wide lounge. This was going to be at Moscow’s Domodedovo airport. The pandemic and then Russia’s invasion of Ukraine put that plan on hold, with Russian carrier S7 suspended from the alliance.
However construction is now underway on a oneworld alliance lounge in Seoul. Seoul is an important destination, and currently a hub for both Star Alliance (Asiana) and SkyTeam (Korean Air) carriers. A joint oneworld alliance here makes sense.
Biggest clue yet of @traveloneworld opening its own lounge? Ex-Jeju Air lounge in Seoul ICN T1 is under refurbishment.
The construction sign says for — and in Korean — “Oneworld lounge improvement construction” pic.twitter.com/bfglRufnnm
— Danny Lee (@AirEVthingTRNSP) September 7, 2023
A oneworld-branded lounge would match offerings provided by both the Star and SkyTeam alliances, and are intended for airports where several alliance carriers fly, and where they co-locate in a single terminal, but where no alliance carrier has a dominant presence. American will continue to run its lounges in hubs, British Airways will continue to run its lounges, and the same for Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, and others.
Some of the key locations that have been speculated – in addition to Seoul and the paused Moscow project – include Sao Paulo, Berlin, and a potential alliance takeover of LAX Tom Bradley terminal business class lounge (which is a collaboration between oneworld airlines Qantas, Cathay Pacific, and British Airways and which is Qantas-managed).
In the past there’s been speculation that a oneworld lounge program could grow to as many as 10 or more locations.
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker is chairman of the alliance, which recently moved its headquarters to the American Airlines campus in Dallas. American’s Chief Commercial Officer Vasu Raja is leading a search for a new alliance CEO to succeed Rob Gurney who served n the role for 7 years.
Speaking of succession planning, do you happen to m know what the plan is for BoardingArea.com after Randy Petersen retires further from the miles and points space? Is it in the process of being sold, and who’s taking over it next?
One might be coming to AMS too..
I would like to see this at JFK as well as LAX, would make sense. Also, the “little lounges” set up by BA and other should just be blended into FL (like in PHL when it finally opens). Huge cost saving and much less confusing for passengers if they can just go to one lounge that is huge and serves several airlines.
Sounds good! Glad to hear OneWorld moving along! Now time to add some new members!
Right now OW airlines are using Asiana business lounge in ICN. I visited that lounge last month when flying Cathay to HKG and found it nothing special in terms of food and drinks. Hopefully, OW would do something better.
Al Baker works in Dallas? That must be interesting.
I don’t think it is as simple as saying “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine put it on hold”. How about “the West’s all-out economic war against Russia over a minor territorial conflict put it on hold” ?
@Christian – no, he does not work in Dallas. He is Chairman, not CEO, and probably (most likely) does not have any day to day management responsibility.
Sooooo unnecessary to have THE first one in Russia. Which has the least one world presence.
Why are they excluding Japan Airlines as they are also a part of Oneworld’s member as well as the Pacific Joint Venture with American Airlines American has very weak marketing in the Pacific region.
@Masao – who is excluding JAL, and where? Nowhere in the post does it say JAL is being excluded (in ICN or elsewhere).