NEW YORK, Sept 18 (Reuters) - The oneworld Alliance, an

airline group with 15 members ranging from American Airlines ( AAL )

to Qantas Airways ( QUBSF ), is considering an Indian

airline partner as the market continues to grow, its chief

executive said.

"India is a market that we collectively have interest in

finding somebody," CEO Nat Pieper told Reuters on Thursday,

following a gathering of aviation executives and analysts known

as the Wings Club in New York.

Piper said adding a new member is "always tricky" because it

has to work not only for the group as a whole, but also for each

of the 15 members.

Given that many of its members currently serve India, the

alliance is also considering ways to leverage their joint

presence in the country like with a loyalty deal or a joint

lounge initiative, he added.

"We have 10 members that actually serve in India and so it

is a super important market, growing like crazy."

Hawaiian Airlines is expected to join the alliance in 2026.

Alaska Air ( ALK ) completed its acquisition of the airline in 2024.

(Doyinsola Oladipo in New York; Editing by Sonali Paul)