Mongolia's national carrier is actively pursuing limited membership in the oneworld alliance, the chief executive Munkhtamir Batbayar of MIAT Mongolian Airlines revealed in an interview with CNN. While discussing the airline's aim to secure membership, the CEO of MIAT Mongolian Airlines emphasized the carrier's unique global position. However, instead of aiming to join directly, the airline is targeting membership in the oneworld connect program. Batbayar said: "We are actively pursuing to get into the oneworld connect program, which is not actually the alliance, but is the connect program where those two major partnerships are in, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines." According to oneworld, the program provides "select alliance benefits to frequent flyers from any oneworld member airline traveling on their flights, with a more extensive range of benefits offered with a subset of oneworld member airlines, known as their 'oneworld sponsors.'" The collaboration known as the oneworld alliance came into being through the partnership of American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, , and Qantas. This alliance stands among the leading three airline collaborations, alongside SkyTeam and Star Alliance. An alliance is an agreement between several airlines to pool resources. This move, in turn, gives them a greater ability to compete against other airlines. The first benefit this brings is codeshare flights. While codeshare agreements do exist outside of alliances, the highest density will be found within alliance members. In order to become a member of an airline alliance and establish itself as a competitor, the airline typically needs to possess a substantial size and an extensive route network. Want to know more about airline alliances? . However, MIAT Mongolian Airlines is a relatively small airline with a limited market presence. According to Planespotters.net, the carrier currently has a total of eight aircraft in its fleet, including four Boeing 737s, a Boeing 757, a Boeing 767, a , and a single Bombardier CRJ-100 regional jet. With a fleet of eight aircraft, the airline currently serves 20 destinations across eight countries. The CEO of Mongolian Airlines acknowledged the airline's limited market presence. However, he stressed that strategic partnerships could serve as a pathway to expansion, capitalizing on its advantageous position between China and Russia. He further emphasized that he views these partnerships as essential for enhancing connectivity. More codeshare flights with Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific could enhance connectivity across Asian markets for the Mongolian airline. Nevertheless, the oneworld connect program appears to be a viable option for Mongolian Airlines, given that Fiji Airways, another relatively small airline, has been part of the program since 2018. Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: