the carrier announced Monday, confirming
widespread media reports. Operating out of the "emerging business hub of Doha," Qatar is the "first of the big Gulf carriers to join an alliance," American Airlines CEO Tom Horton said during a press conference in New York, though other carriers in the region recently have
embarked on bilateral partnerships. Qatar serves "119 destinations across six continents, mostly all nonstop from Doha," said Qatar CEO Akbar Al Baker, and will add 15 new destinations and three new countries to the Oneworld map, according to Oneworld CEO Bruce Ashby. The carrier will become the second Middle Eastern member, after Royal Jordanian Airlines, to join the alliance. While Oneworld indicated it could take up to 18 months to fully integrate Qatar into the alliance, Al Baker said integration will be wrapped up "hopefully sooner than the minimum 12 months that we targeted." Once incorporated, frequent flyers on Oneworld carriers will gain program reciprocity in addition to other benefits, including priority check-in, boarding, waitlisting and lounge access.