Doha International Airport

Qatar Airways set to join oneworld by late 2013

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker announced earlier this month the carrier intends to join the oneworld alliance by Oct-2013, only 12 months after it announced that it had been selected for membership. The 2012 announcement that the airline planned to join the alliance system sent ripples of reaction through the aviation landscape of the Middle East, as well as globally, helping to bring about a major commercial reshaping.

Joining oneworld will usher in a new era for Qatar Airways. After years of setting its own path and growth trajectory, the airline has decided to hitch itself to the alliance system, albeit to the most loosely based of the international airline groupings. Its membership is being sponsored by British Airways. The airline’s membership in oneworld will see it coordinate flights, schedules and systems with other member airlines, including Iberia, Qantas, Royal Jordanian, Cathay Pacific, Malaysian Airlines, LAN and Japan Airlines.

UAE airports booming, may reach 80 million pax throughput in 2012; Dubai to become world's biggest

The UAE has experienced a decade of relentless aviation growth. Separated by less than 120km, the three largest airports in the country at Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah have seen their traffic driven by their home carriers, Emirates, flydubai, Etihad and Air Arabia, each of which handles the majority of passengers passing through the airports.

This year could see the three airports reach a combined 80 million passenger throughput. With each achieving double digit growth, a combination of large order books for the local airlines and an increasing fleet of foreign carriers attracted to the market, the UAE airports are fast approaching the total airport traffic of New York City's system, stagnating at a little above 100 million passengers annually.

Despite a massive airport construction programme, capacity is being challenged and the restrictions on air traffic movements among the UAE and its neighbours are increasingly a constraint on efficient operation.

Etihad and Emirates continue cross-alliance moves: each to expand in Indonesia in its own way

Indonesia's short-haul airline market has quietly been booming for the past decade, as carriers seek to meet demand from a 240 million strong population spread over islands and difficult terrain, making aviation an ideal transport. Not to be forgotten however are long-haul markets, critical for a country with a rising middle class as well as the world's largest Muslim population.

That once meant seasonal religious charters but now it also means growing trade with the Middle East and north Africa – and Indonesia becoming a safe and democratic destination for Middle East markets to visit. So it comes naturally that Middle East carriers are advancing strategic developments in Indonesia. But they are doing it in their typically contrasting styles: Etihad will partner with flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, while Emirates plots its own capacity expansion with a third daily 777-300ER service to Jakarta, making the Indonesian capital Emirates' third largest non-stop destination by ASKs.

With Qatar Airways as new member, oneworld seeks to regain momentum but may become more divisive

The global upheaval in airline alliances and partnerships will only intensify with the oneworld alliance expected to announce in New York City on 08-Oct-2012 the membership of Qatar Airways, sponsored by International Airlines Group (IAG). oneworld will seek to regain momentum after failing so far to secure an Indian and mainland Chinese member. It is also the smallest and loosest of the three marketing alliances and in recent years has had carriers frequently in financial straits, including Mexicana (now defunct), Malev (now defunct) Japan Airlines and American Airlines.

While Qatar's addition would indicate unanimous approval from oneworld carriers, it would not have been attained easily and does not guarantee all carriers are pleased. Qatar for IAG's British Airways and Iberia will be a deep partner while for others – chiefly Cathay Pacific, Finnair and Qantas – it will be a competitor and they must sort through how to integrate Qatar into their web at a time marketing alliances are losing lustre to a Middle East-centric approach. For this redirection of global aviation strategy, there is no guide. Qatar and oneworld are writing a new rulebook.

Gulf carriers turn their attention to the US to fuel their continued rapid growth

The big three Gulf carriers are turning to expansion in North America to round out their global networks that have largely focussed on Europe, Africa and Asia during the last few years. Emirates is leading the charge through the introduction of three new US cities during 2012, which will result in the carrier holding onto its leading position in the US-Middle East market. But its rivals Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways are not sitting idle as they develop plans to broaden their respective US footprints during 2013.

Shifting their attention to the US is a natural progression for Emirates, Etihad and Qatar as the Americas are the least served regions in each carrier’s network. Now that those carriers have a well-established and firm footing in other key global markets, and as they bolster their fleets with more efficient long-haul aircraft, opportunities are emerging for expansion beyond their traditional growth patterns.

Middle East sixth freedom hubs add 8 million passengers in 2011 as home carriers plan further growth

The three major sixth freedom hubs in the Middle East – Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi – added 7.7 million passengers between them in 2011. Passenger traffic at the three hubs continues to grow by leaps and bounds, regardless of the regional disruptions that affected traffic in the Middle East last year. Much of this is testament to the strength of their home carriers, the industry aligned development policies pursued at each airport and the vision of local governments to transform their cities into major aviation centres.

Combined, the three hubs had an average passenger traffic growth rate of 10.5%. This is a notably stronger performance than the rest of the Middle East, where international traffic expanded 8.9% over 2011. Hub growth is closely tied to growth from each hub's main carrier: Etihad Airways, Emirates and Qatar Airways. All three have already announced significant expansion in the near future.