Long trip for a little bird as a Kingfisher-owned Gulfstream II (N4UB) approaches Teterboro (TEB). (Photo by Senga Butts)

Kingfisher Airlines, India’s leading domestic carrier, has signed a memorandum of understanding in the first step toward becoming a full member of the oneWorld alliance.  The deal was signed at a meeting between Kingfisher chairman Vijay Mallya and the chief executives of the 11 existing member airlines.

The next step, an application to India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation for consideration to proceed was filed on Tuesday.  The target date to join the alliance is yet to be set but the process normally takes an average of 18 months. Kingfisher will add 58 destinations—all in India—to the oneWorld map.

The current oneWorld alliance members are American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN, Malev Hungarian Airlines, Mexicana, Qantas and Royal Jordanian.