Starlux Airlines from Taiwan is considering joining the global Oneworld airline alliance, following in the footsteps of Oman Air, Fiji Airways, and Hawaiian Airlines, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year while embarking on a new growth phase.
Both Oman Air and Fiji Airways are anticipated to join Oneworld in 2025, while the US$1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines by Alaska Airlines could facilitate Hawaiian’s entry as Oneworld’s third US member in 2026.
Founded in 2018 by Taiwanese aviation executive and former EVA Air chairman Chang Kuo-wei, Starlux has expressed a strong interest in joining an airline alliance. A senior executive at Starlux previously mentioned that once they achieve a certain level of growth, the airline would pursue alliance membership to enhance convenience for passengers.
With local competitors China Airlines and EVA Air part of SkyTeam and Star Alliance respectively, Oneworld stands out as the only viable option for Starlux. Earlier this year, the airline explicitly stated its intention to seek membership in the Oneworld alliance.
However, a potential challenge lies in how Cathay Pacific, a founding member of Oneworld, might react to Starlux’s membership bid. As a regional competitor to Starlux, Cathay Pacific has a strong presence in the busy Hong Kong-Taiwan route and holds significant influence in the alliance, including the power to veto new members.
Despite this, Cathay Pacific’s management has signaled that it would not actively oppose Starlux’s entry. Cathay Pacific Group CEO Ronald Lam commented that he would defer to the Oneworld management team to assess the membership proposal, stating, “The Oneworld team will make the best recommendation for the alliance.” He affirmed that Cathay would accept the team’s recommendation.
When approached for comments, a spokesperson for Oneworld reiterated the policy of not discussing rumors or speculation and indicated that any updates regarding membership would be announced in due course.
