First Airline Created After Implementation of Open Skies Agreement Receives Authorization from U.S. Department of Transportation NEW YORK and PARIS, May 16
NEW YORK and PARIS, May 16 /PRNewswire/ -- OpenSkies, a premium
transatlantic airline from British Airways, received approval today from the
U.S. Department of Transportation to begin operations. The new airline will
offer flights between Paris' Orly Airport and New York's JFK Airport starting
in June.
"We are delighted to receive approval for take-off and sincerely
appreciate the DOT's efficiency and careful consideration in reviewing our
application," said Dale Moss, Managing Director of OpenSkies. "As the first
airline to be created as a result of the Open Skies agreement, this is a huge
step forward as we work to make history and set a new industry standard across
the Atlantic. We look forward to bringing travelers an intimate, personalized
and premium travel experience between Paris and New York starting in just a
few weeks."
The Department of Transportation also approved OpenSkies' codeshare
arrangement with French airline L'Avion. L'Avion's code will be placed on
OpenSkies' flights between Orly and JFK.
"We are extremely pleased and gratified by the DOT's quick review of our
application for a codeshare arrangement with L'Avion," Moss added.
This formal approval by the DOT enables OpenSkies to start selling tickets
for its services. The company will start taking bookings next week via its
website www.flyopenskies.com or by phone. OpenSkies will also be available
for booking through BA.com and by travel agents using the global distribution
systems (GDS) as British Airways codeshare flights.
OpenSkies plans to offer a truly premium and intimate travel experience.
The airline will provide superior customer service and innovative features,
including 6-foot, fully-flat beds in business class, personal entertainment
units with 50+ hours of programming and creative and healthy meal service.
OpenSkies will initially operate one proven and fuel-efficient Boeing 757.
A second Boeing 757 is scheduled to join OpenSkies later this year from the
British Airways fleet and it is planned that there will be six OpenSkies
aircraft in total by the end of 2009. OpenSkies plans to service additional
routes from European cities including Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt and Milan
to New York.
About OpenSkies
OpenSkies is a premium transatlantic airline that will offer guests
superior service, competitive fares and exceptional value. OpenSkies will
initially fly between Paris - Orly Airport and New York - JFK Airport, with
plans for routes from additional European cities including Amsterdam,
Brussels, Frankfurt, and Milan to New York. The airline will offer guests
innovative features onboard, including lie-flat beds in business class,
personal entertainment units with 50+ hours of programming, and fresh, healthy
and creative meal service. Backed by British Airways, OpenSkies is the
first-ever airline created as a result of the Open Skies agreement, which
allows airlines to fly between any U.S. and E.U. destination.
SOURCE OpenSkies
