Qatar Airways (QR, Doha Hamad International) is considering establishing a closer cooperation with IAG International Airlines Group, LATAM Airlines Group, and Cathay Pacific, in which it holds equity stakes, as an alternative to a continued membership in Oneworld, Qatar Airways Group CEO Akbar Al Baker said during the IATA Wings of Change conference in Madrid.
"There is no point in us staying in Oneworld if there are airlines seeing us as a threat rather than a partner. We own substantial shares in three major Oneworld members and we could work with them instead of staying in the alliance," Al Baker said.
He added that he had presented the conditions for Qatar's further membership in the alliance to its executives and was now waiting for their response. Short of disclosing a specific deadline for the decision, Al Baker said that he was "very impatient" and there was "not too much time" for Oneworld to change its ways.
"I would like to stay in Oneworld but only if it is in the interest of Qatar Airways. I will not sacrifice our interest for anything," Al Baker added.
While Al Baker himself avoided naming Oneworld member American Airlines, the US airline has long been at odds with Qatar Airways. American Airlines led the charge against the Gulf carrier related to the alleged subsidies it had received from the government in Doha. Qatar Airways denies it has ever received unfair capital injections from the state.
Al Baker did, however, name Qantas (QF, Sydney Kingsford Smith) as another example of a carrier working against Qatar within Oneworld. The airline has, reportedly, internally criticised Qatar for expanding into Australia.
"Alliances could become old-fashioned. They lost their steam because people want to protect their own interests. They were founded as groups to use other members to a mutual benefit, but it is not like that any more," Al Baker added.
Qatar Airways owns a 20.1% stake in IAG, a 10% stake in LATAM, and a 9.61% stake in Cathay Pacific. IAG's British Airways and Iberia, LATAM Airlines and its subsidiaries, and Cathay and Cathay Dragon are currently all members of Oneworld.
