First Airline Created After Implementation of Open Skies Agreement Receives
Authorization from U.S. Department of Transportation
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 http://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
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Related links:
http://www.flyopenskies.com
http://www.BA.com
CONTACT:
John Hartz for OpenSkies, +1-212-446-1872,
jhartz@sloanepr.com
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