Indian domestic carrier Kingfisher Airlines is lining up to join Oneworld after signing a memorandum of understanding as its first step towards full membership.

The move will add a raft of Indian destinations to the global Oneworld network - and potentially more international routes when Kingfisher embarks on offshore services.

The agreement was concluded at a meeting between Kingfisher Airlines' chairman Vijay Mallya and Chief Executives from oneworld's 11 existing member airlines, which include American Airlines, JAL, Qantas, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and FinnAir.

Kingfisher Airlines has applied to India's Ministry of Civil Aviation for authority to proceed with its membership of Oneworld.

A target date for Kingfisher Airlines to join the alliance will be confirmed once this approval is gained. The process to bring any airline on board normally takes around 18 months to complete, so Kingfisher Airlines could be expected to start flying as part of oneworld during 2011.

Kingfisher will add 58 cities to the Oneworld map, expanding Oneworld's network to 800 destinations in almost 150 countries, served by a combined fleet of 2350 aircraft operating some 9000 flights a day, carrying some 340 million passengers a year.

British Airways will support Kingfisher Airlines through its alliance implementation program, as its Oneworld sponsor.

Mallya said Kingfisher is proud to be lining up to join the alliance.

"Becoming part of Oneworld would be one of our most significant steps so far - and is right in line with our vision to become one of the world's top airlines. It will enable us to offer our guests a truly global network served by partners who include some of the best known and most admired airlines in the world, with frequent flyer benefits extended throughout this network. It will also strengthen us financially, through revenues from passengers transferring to our network from our oneworld partners and the cost reduction opportunities the alliance offers."

Since its launch in 2005, Kingfisher Airlines has established itself as India's leading air carrier in terms of domestic passenger carried, daily departures (an average of 383 a day), customer service quality and innovation.

Kingfisher Airlines carried 10.9 million passengers in the financial year ended 31 March 2009 with a share of 27 per cent of the domestic Indian air travel market. For the nine months to December 31, 2009, it carried 8.2 million passengers.