Hawaiian Airlines is one step closer to joining Oneworld
The merger with Alaska Airlines could also to bolster the Oneworld alliance.
By David Flynn, September 19 2024
Hawaiian Airlines could be one step closer to joining the Oneworld alliance following approval by US regulators for a US$1.9bn buyout by Alaska Airlines.
The merger of the Seattle- and Honolulu-based carriers will result in what Alaska describes as “a single operation with two public-facing brands, Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines,” each operating from their respective hub.
This could also see Hawaiian Airlines become a member of Oneworld – and thus a fully-fledged partner with the likes of Qantas, Cathay Pacific, JAL and many other top-tier airlines.
“I think (Alaska) have said that when we are all one airline that the Hawaiian Airlines brand, which will be a brand underneath the operating platform of Alaska Airlines, will be a part of Oneworld,” Hawaiian Airlines Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Avi Mannis told Executive Traveller earlier this year.
“And at some point then from an alliance perspective, we'll look at Oneworld. But none of that's going to happen overnight.”
Post-merger, the Hawaiian Airlines brand will remain.
As to Oneworld itself, “It’s something we’ll have to see in due course, right?”, Customer Experience chief Gerhard Girkinger told Executive Traveller on the sidelines of the opening of the Oneworld Seoul Lounge.
“We’ve not had any conversations (on the topic) and we wouldn’t comment on that even if we had, but no, at the moment, we’ll see how this transpires and what Alaska's plan and the joint entity's plan is.”
But should the stars align, might Hawaiian Airlines be welcomed into the Oneworld family?
“I think every customer would probably like to have an additional ability to get across the Pacific (but) ultimately it’s the airline’s decision and it’s our member airlines' decision to add another airline… generally all of that goes through an approval process, through our governing board and our CEOs, and we’d follow that as we do with any other airline.”
A single rewards program
On the loyalty front, Alaska and Hawaiian will also share “a single, compelling loyalty offering” – in other words, Alaska’s own Mileage Plan frequent flyer scheme will likely replace the HawaiianMiles platform (unless a rebranding of Mileage Plan or an all-new program is o the cards).
This alone would provide Hawaiian Airlines’ frequent flyers “the ability to earn and redeem miles on 29 global partners and receive elite benefits on the full complement of Oneworld alliance airlines (and) expanded global lounge access,” the airlines said in a joint statement when the merger was announced in December 2023.
Hawaiian Airlines says the status and miles held by HawaiianMiles members will be transferred to Alaska’s Mileage Plan, including matching its Pualani Elite Gold and Platinum members to Alaska’s equivalent MVP Gold tiers.
The coming years look like busy ones for the Oneworld alliance, which this year celebrates its 25th anniversary.
Oman Air is due to join Oneworld towards the end of year, with Fiji Airways joining Oneworld in 2025 (and also adopting the AAdvantage program of American Airlines as its loyalty scheme).
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
26 May 2014
Total posts 465
If Hawaiian joins One World, then there is a question over the VA alliance. Given the Qatar Airways situation and the lack of other competition on Australia-Hawaii, perhaps the VA alliance could survive.
QF
11 Jul 2014
Total posts 1002
What amazes me is there are many things happening under the radar of public knowledge. Some are true, and some are just downright scaremongering.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1205
It is unlikely competition authorities would approve any sort of cooperation between HA and QF so it is likely the VA arrangement will continue.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Nov 2017
Total posts 344
The VA and HA partnership is very much a glorified codeshare with mazes to sort out their lounge arrangement. The same as the VA/NH "partnership".
12 Dec 2012
Total posts 1029
Alliance membership has nothing to do with any partnerships. Just because two airlines are in oneworld, doesn't mean they don't have to compete on a route they both happen to serve.
If the VA arrangement with Hawaiian ends, it won't be because of oneworld membership. It will be because Alaskan took over Hawaiian and AS has codeshare arrangements with QF (and did so long before AS joined oneworld).
28 Feb 2024
Total posts 1
David you have written this story like there will still be two separate airlines at the end of the merger. There will only be one and that will be Alaska Airlines. One reservation system, one mileage plan, one operating certificate. And since Alaska is already a part of OneWorld, the answer is yes.
Alaska has agreed to keep both brands and to honor the traditions and spirit, livery, etc of Hawaii and I do believe they will, but underneath the hood it’s still one airline. The company has done good by the people of Alaska and they will do the same by the people of Hawaii.
This completely different than Horizon and Virgin America. Horizon is a completely stand alone airline, although owned by air group, and the name Virgin was just leased from Branson so they weren’t going to spend millions each year to keep it. The Hawaiian Airlines name/brand/livery is part of the deal so they would be able to continue its use forever. 👍🏼🎉 🌺 😁😍
13 Feb 2015
Total posts 70
And just like that, airfares between Australia and Hawaii will jump. And/or availability will fall.
11 Sep 2015
Total posts 224
And your rational, logical and informed reasoning for that opinion is..?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
08 Mar 2022
Total posts 13
I wonder what happens to QF / JQ routes and frequencies to HNL as HA becomes part of OW over time - lots of OW capacity each week with HA / QF / JQ
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