After two years of preparation, Hungarian national airline Malev said on Thursday it would become a full member of the Oneworld alliance of carriers, starting from April 1 this year, the official news agency MTI reported.

 

Malev is in the process of privatization now. Russian airline AirBridge, the company's sole suitor at present, is expected to take over Malev's stakes as part of its privatization scheme, according to MTI.

 

Oneworld, an alliance of ten of the world's major airline companies including American Airlines, British Airways and Cathay Pacific, will also admit Japan Airlines and Royal Jordanian Airlines as full-fledged members at this time. If the admission is completed, it will become the biggest expansion of the alliance since its debut eight years ago.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 2, 2007)