Malaysia Airlines links up to Global Explorer round-the-world fare

oneworld member elect Malaysia Airlines’ full global schedule involving around 60 destinations worldwide will be included in the Global Explorer from tomorrow, adding one of the most attractive networks in South East Asia to the round-the-world fare offered by all members of the alliance and selected other airlines.

Through this coverage, almost 20 more cities of Malaysia Airlines’ network in South East Asia, including two more countries namely Brunei and Myanmar, will be added to the Global Explorer map, expanding the round-the-world’s global reach to more than 900 destinations in nearly 150 countries.

Some destinations that Malaysia Airlines adds to Global Explorer include Johor Bahru, Langkawi and Kuching in Malaysia, Myanmar capital Yangon, Indonesia’s Medan and Cambodia’s Siem Reap.

Global Explorer covers all routes offered by oneworld’s existing member airlines – American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN, Malév Hungarian Airlines, Qantas, Royal Jordanian and Russia’s S7 plus some 20 affiliated carriers, including LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador, LAN Peru, China’s Dragonair and South Africa’s Comair.

Global Explorer is also offered by a number of airlines that have no links with oneworld – Aer Lingus, Air Pacific, Alaska Airlines and its Horizon Airlines sister, Gulf Air and Meridianafly. Flights carrying the Qantas code but operated by Air Tahiti Nui, Jetstar, South African Airways and Vietnam Airlines are included too, expanding the reach covered by the fare further still.

For travel from Malaysia, four tiers of Global Explorer fares are offered with tier 1 economy fare starting from as low as RM 11,184.00 (excluding taxes and surcharges) covering five cities around the world. The highest, tier 4 economy fare, from Malaysia is capped at RM 18,171.00 (excluding taxes and surcharges) for travel covering a maximum of 15 cities.

Child fares (between two to 11 years) and infant fares (up to 23 months of age) are charged at 75% and 10% of the applicable adult fare.  

Bookings and ticketing for this fare can be made direct with systemwide ticket offices of both Malaysia Airlines and oneworld member airlines as well as the other participating airlines. This fare is also available through all appointed agents of these airlines.

An attractive feature of this fare is the free baggage allowance where each adult and child passenger is permitted to check in two pieces of baggage each weighing up to 23 kilograms per piece. Normal charges apply for baggage weights in excess of the free allowance.

Another aspect is the fare validity .Whilst the minimum travel validity for all four tiers is 10 days, the maximum validity allows the journey to be completed within one year from the date of travel of the first sector.

This represents a first step by Malaysia Airlines towards becoming a full member of oneworld, which is on track for later this year. By then Malaysia’s national carrier will start participating in the full range of the alliance’s fares and offer all other services and benefits of the alliance to customers.

Meanwhile, oneworld member elect Kingfisher Airlines is already participating in Global Explorer, ahead of its implementation to the alliance on 10 February, with fellow member elect airberlin’s network to be added when it boards oneworld later this spring. Both will start participating in the full range of the oneworld fares once they join the alliance.

Global Explorer offers simple, flexible, and great value round-the-world travel for trips of up to one year long. Four versions of Global Explorer are available. Tiers 1, 2 and 4 are for travel only in Economy Class, but Tier 3 can be used also in First or Business. Not all tiers are available from all countries.