Finnair has formally joined the transatlantic joint business operated by British Airways, Iberia and American Airlines.The Finnish airline’s strong and long-established network across Scandinavia and the Baltic is a significant source of transfer traffic flying via Heathrow. Finnair can now book flights to dozens more North American cities on one single ticket.
American, BA and Iberia launched their joint business across the North Atlantic in October 2010 – with Finnair joining the four-way deal it means customers can mix and match flights on carriers to get the most convenient scheduling, enjoy smoother onward connections and book transatlantic codeshare flights on all four carriers via any of the airlines’ websites.
Meanwhile, the first step has been taken to enable Finnair to join British Airways and Japan Airlines (JAL) in their successful joint business on flights between Europe and Japan. The three airlines intend to cooperate commercially by sharing revenue and by coordinating flight schedules and fares in order to offer greater benefits to customers travelling between Europe and Japan.
The new joint business arrangement is subject to regulatory approvals.
Bringing Finnair into the agreement will not only strengthen the joint business, it will also enable the oneworld alliance to compete more effectively around the world with other global alliances.
British Airways and JAL entered into a joint business arrangement in October 2012 providing their customers with better links between the EU and Japan, with more flight choices and enhanced frequent flyer benefits.
The addition of Finnair to the joint business will further enhance these customer benefits and allow the three airlines to cooperate on expanding their presence within and to and from this important market.
Keith Williams, BA’s chief executive, said, “The inclusion of Finnair in the joint business will strengthen the ties between East and West in this vital and growing market.”