In news of international carriers, a British Airways affiliate adds a transatlantic route; Air Canada prepares for new competition in the western part of its home country; and a major European low-cost carrier opens up a U.S. website.

• OpenSkies, a subsidiary of British Airways (www.flyopenskies.com), announced it will start flying between New York’s JFK Airport and Paris Orly effective March 31, 2013.  The airline will operate from Terminal 7 at JFK and Paris Orly’s West Terminal. The carrier will continue to offer two daily flights between Newark and Paris Orly as well. OpenSkies’ 757s now have three  classes of service—BizBed, with flat-bed seating; Prem Plus, with 2x2 leather seating; and Eco, an economy cabin.

• Smaller cities in western Canada will be getting more travel options in the months ahead. Calgary-based WestJet recently announced plans to begin a new regional affiliate called Encore in 2013, using Q400 turboprops to fly to underserved communities, although it hasn’t announced any routes yet. And now Air Canada says it will introduce new Q400 service by its Jazz subsidiary under the Air Canada Express brand. Air Canada said the brand will serve “key markets from Calgary and Edmonton” starting next year. The 74-seat Q400s will replace 50-seat regional jets on routes from Calgary to Ft. McMurray, Regina, Saskatoon, Yellowknife, Grande Prairie, Victoria and Edmonton; and from Edmonton to Yellowknife, Winnipeg and Ft. McMurray. The carrier will also increase frequencies on several routes in the region.

• EasyJet, which claims to be Europe’s largest airline, has opened up a U.S. website with fares and bookings in U.S. dollars. The carrier carries more than 50 million passengers a year, serving 133 airports in 30 countries. The website is at www.easyjet.com/us.