SriLankan Airlines (UL, Colombo International) has officially joined Oneworld thereby becoming the first carrier from Indian subcontinent to join any global airline alliance. The Sri Lankan national carrier's first flight as part of oneworld was flight UL318 - Colombo International to Kuala Lumpur International - on May 1.

The airline's addition to oneworld will bring two new destinations on to the alliance network – Hambantota plus India's Tiruchirapally – along with its Colombo base as a new oneworld hub.

Just prior to joining the alliance, SriLankan signed codeshare agreements with fellow members, S7 Airlines (S7, Novosibirsk) and Finnair (AY, Helsinki Vantaa). While it already has an agreement in place with Malaysia Airlines (MH, Kuala Lumpur International), negotiations with other carriers are reportedly "at an advanced stage."

The airline's induction also marks the completion of the alliance's biggest expansion programme since its launch 15 years ago. In just two years, the group has added more than 15 airlines as full or affiliate members, including: TAM Linhas Aéreas (São Paulo Congonhas), US Airways (Phoenix Sky Harbor), Qatar Airways (QR, Doha Hamad International), Malaysia Airlines (MH, Kuala Lumpur International), Air Berlin (1991) (Berlin Tegel) and key affiliate members such as LAN Colombia (Bogotá), US Airways Express, Iberia Express (I2, Madrid Barajas), Niki (Austria) (Vienna) and transatlantic carrier, OpenSkies (BOS, Paris Orly).