Airberlin (Berlin) today (March 20) officially joined oneworld®, adding the second largest airline in Germany and the sixth largest in Europe to the airline alliance.

Niki (Vienna), the Austrian member of the airberlin group, joined oneworld as an affiliate member.

The joining ceremony at Berlin was the first airline media event held at the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport, which will be Airberlin’s new home base and Europe’s newest hub, when it opens on June 3, 2012.

Those attending were also the first to see an aircraft in the front of the new airport terminal – with the first Airberlin aircraft adorned with the oneworld alliance livery, an Airbus A330-200, and one of the airline’s Boeing 737-800 (see below) making a special visit.

Members of the alliance include Airberlin, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines-JAL, LAN Airlines, QANTAS Airways, Royal Jordanian and S7 Airlines, and around 20 affiliates including Niki, American Eagle, Dragonair, LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador and LAN Peru. Malaysia Airlines is on track to join later in 2012, with India’s Kingfisher Airlines also a member elect. Málev Hungarian Airlines and Mexicana are inactive members of the alliance.

Top Copyright Photo: Stefan Sjogren.

Middle Copyright Photo: Javier Rodriguez.

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Airberlin Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Bottom Copyright Photo: K.C. Sim.