New Delhi: Kingfisher Airlines Ltd, the country’s second largest airline by passengers carried, will join Oneworld Alliance, a global grouping of airlines, becoming only the second airline in the country to become part of a global airline alliance after Air India which is already part of Star Alliance, according to the airline’s request submitted to the civil aviation ministry and reviewed by Mint.

The airline in the letter said alliances have become an important part for airlines globally and it would like to seek clearance to join this alliance. The move has to be given a nod by the civil aviation ministry, a ministry official said.

Kingfisher Airlines received approval to run flights on seven new international routes this month. The carrier, which runs 14 daily flights on seven international routes, said it will announce the launch dates of flights for the new routes later. Four of the new routes connect New Delhi to London, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Dubai, while the others link Mumbai with Colombo, Bangkok and Dubai.

Losses in the wake of the global financial meltdown put brakes on Kingfisher’s international plans last year. For April-December 2009, the airline reported a loss of Rs1,075.32 crore.

Flights from New Delhi to London and Hong Kong will be operated using the Airbus A330. The other five routes will be operated using Airbus A320.

Oneworld airline members include - American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN, Malév Hungarian Airlines, Qantas and Royal Jordanian, and around 20 affiliates including American Eagle, Dragonair, LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador and LAN Peru.