Oneworld eyes new lounges, and taking over existing ones

Oneworld CEO Ole Orvér is keen to see the alliance open more of its own-branded airport lounges, although “not necessarily” in the next 6-12 months.

That delay isn’t for want of effort, he says – it’s more a case of aligning with the opportunities at each airport as suitable space becomes available.

“This could be when someone gives up lounge space for whatever reason, or a new terminal is built,” Orvér told Executive Traveller on the sidelines of a media event in Honolulu marking Hawaiian Airlines’ entry into the Oneworld alliance.

Seoul hosts the first Oneworld-branded lounge, and the alliance CEO wants to see more like it.

But not every new Oneworld lounge would necessarily be built from scratch, as was the case with the alliance’s lounges in Seoul and Amsterdam, which opened in the first half of 2024.

Orvér revealed the alliance is also in discussions with some of its 16 member airlines about taking over and rebranding some of their own lounges.

“You have hundreds of them around the planet, (so) maybe we should turn some of them into Oneworld lounges. That is a conversation that we have going on within the alliance.”

The Oneworld LAX business class lounge is a joint effort of Qantas, British Airways and Cathay Pacific.

20 airports on the target list

“We have something like 20 airports where we’re considering doing something with Oneworld branding,” Orvér revealed.

Is Frankfurt on the list, we posed? After all, with all Oneworld airlines having now relocated to the new Terminal 3, this would seem an obvious contender for a Oneworld lounge.

“I agree,” Orvér said, adding that “Frankfurt is on the list” – although Qatar Airways is reported to be opening its own Premium Lounge at T3.

And Paris’ Charles de Gaulle? “Maybe so.”

“Some of them (on the list) perhaps are more obvious,” Orvér shared.

Only two Oneword-branded lounges have opened since early 2024.

“Where we have a number of airlines flying in, why not have a joint lounge? Maybe sometimes knock down a few walls to make the space larger.”

“Of course, for some members, the ground the experience on ground is so deeply connected with the brand and and the customer experience, so some of them are really resistant in giving it up at certain airports.”

Orvér said Oneworld remains “ambitious” about expanding its lounge footprint.

“We want to do it. Customers love it in Amsterdam and Seoul, so let’s do more of those. We just need to find a way forward.”

Also read: Oneworld CEO says “this year” for alliance-wide upgrades

David Flynn travelled to Honolulu as a guest of Hawaiian Airlines and Oneworld.