Intelligence – November, 28 2005

Intelligence – November, 28 2005

Oneworld has welcomed the announcement by Japan Airlines that it is to seek membership in the global airline alliance. Japan Airlines was previously the only one among the 20 biggest international airlines in the world not to have joined or sought membership of one of the three key airline groupings. Royal Jordanian will also join oneworld, becoming the first carrier from the Levant, Middle East and Gulf region to be elected on board any of the global airline alliances …

Swiss International Air Lines and United Airlines have begun a codeshare agreement. The agreement represents further integration of Swiss into the Star Alliance, following its merger and subsequent consolidation efforts with Lufthansa German Airlines. The deal includes reciprocal frequent flyer mileage accrual and redemption between United and Swiss …

Identity theft prevention firm MyPublicInfo is offering Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members bonus miles when they order the company’s identity theft protection. Standard Mileage Plan members who buy into the service (usually costing around $80) are rewarded with 1,000 miles, while MVP Gold members will receive 1,250 miles …

Members of Marriott Rewards can now redeem points for Orient-Express hotels. The Orient-Express hotel rewards range from 85,000 points for a night at a beach bungalow at the Bora Bora Lagoon Resort & Spa to 700,000 points for a four-day/three-night safari in the Okavango Delta in Botswana …

David Castelveter, formerly Managing Director — Corporate Communications for US Airways, has left the airline to begin a new job as vice president of communications at the Air Transport Association in Washington, D.C. David is a longtime friend of InsideFlyer, and we wish him well in his new endeavors …

Jet Airways and Qantas have entered into a reciprocal frequent flyer relationship, allowing members to earn and redeem miles when traveling with either airline …

Miles & More members can now earn and burn miles on the entire inner-Chinese route network of Air China …

Skywards, the frequent flyer program of Emirates and SriLankan Airlines, has added Taj Hotel Resorts and Palaces as its newest hotel partner. Members will earn 500 Skywards Miles per qualifying stay at any Taj property …

United Mileage Plus was named the Best Frequent Flyer Program in the United States in the 2005 CEO Choice Domestic Airlines Survey conducted by Frost & Sullivan analysts …

UAL Corporation, parent company of United, has announced that Kenneth I. Feldman has been named vice president -Loyalty and e-commerce. Feldman will lead the Mileage Plus program, including Mileage Plus partner activities. In addition, Feldman will be responsible for united.com and related online initiatives. Feldman spent eight years at America West Airlines in charge of FlightFund …

American Airlines says the U.S. Department of Transportation has granted the airline antitrust immunity for a partnership with Lan Peru.