Mobile version of oneworld.com, iPhone app and Spanish language round-the-world on-line booking tool added as Mexicana joins

09 novembre 2009

A Spanish version of its popular round-the-world booking tool, an iPhone flight search app (application) and a complete mobile website are being launched by oneworld® as part of an upgrade to its oneworld.com internet site as Mexicana joins the alliance tonight.

While up-dating oneworld.com to reflect the addition of its new Mexican member, the alliance has taken the opportunity to roll out a series of improvements to make the site even more useful and easier to navigate.

The most popular pages are now easier and quicker to reach and more content available in Spanish, French, German, Italian and Japanese - including a full replica of the round-the-world booking tool in Spanish.

oneworld became the first in the travel industry to sell any multi-airline round-the-world fare through the internet a year ago when it launched its original on-line booking facility for its market-leading oneworld Explorer fare.  That was also the first time any of the global airline groupings had sold any of their alliance fares direct via the web.

Now oneworld has become the only alliance offering an on-line booking facility in any language besides English - with the launch of its Spanish tool reflecting its position as the leading Spanish-speaking airline alliance, underlined further with tonight's addition of Mexicana.  

Since the original English version of the on-line booking tool was launched in December, it has proven even more popular than anticipated, taking substantially more bookings than expected.

As the Spanish replica is added, enhancements are being made at the same time to that original English-language version, with improved application of minimum connecting times between flights and greater clarity provided in showing onward flight availability making it easier for customers to choose their next destination when creating their round-the-world itineraries.

The launch of the alliance's mobile website - m.oneworld.com - makes it easier for customers to access information about the alliance from their web-enabled smartphones, Blackberrys and iPhones.  It will feature the most popular content from the alliance's main website, with full flight search capability, arrival and departure status, airport maps, information on lounges and weather and a currency converter.  It is available in English now with versions in other languages to be added soon.

The new iPhone flight search app (application), available any day now for free from the iTunes store, enables users of the popular mobile device to find flights offered by all oneworld member airlines.  Versions are available in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

The oneworld training module, available via oneworld.com's travel agency pages, has also been updated to reflect Mexicana's addition to the grouping, and an enhanced version of the downloadable oneworld screensaver is now available, too.

About oneworld

oneworld brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business - American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN, Malév Hungarian Airlines, Qantas and Royal Jordanian, and around 20 affiliates including American Eagle, Dragonair, LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador and LAN Peru.  Mexicana and its affiliates MexicanaClick and MexicanaLink will join the alliance on 10 novembre 2009 and Russia's S7 Airlines in 2010.

Between them, these airlines:

  • Serve almost 750 airports in nearly 150 countries, with some 8.500 daily departures.
  • Offer nearly 550 airport lounges for premium customers.
  • Carry some 330 million passengers a year.
  • Employ 300.000 people.
  • Operate almost 2.500 aircraft.
  • Generate some US$100 billion annual revenues in total.

It is the only alliance with any airlines based in Australia, South America or Asia's Middle East.

The alliance enables its members to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own.  These include a broader route network, opportunities to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles and points across the combined oneworld network and more airport lounges.   oneworld also offers more alliance fares than any of its competitors.

oneworld was voted the World's Leading Airline Alliance for the seventh year running in the latest (2009) World Travel Awards.   It is the only winner of this award since it was introduced in 2003.