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| Version | User | Scope of changes |
|---|---|---|
| May 18 2008, 8:26 PM EDT (current) | jimglab | 230 words added |
| May 18 2008, 8:25 PM EDT | jimglab |
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Carrier will start JFK-Orly service next month
OpenSkies, the new British Airways subsidiary that will fly 82-seat 757s across the Atlantic, has won U.S. Transportation Department approval and is expected to begin operations June 19 between New York JFK and Paris Orly. OpenSkies had recently said it would shift its Paris flight to CDG instead of Orly, but it managed to get takeoff and landing slots at the closer-in airport by forging a code-share agreement with the all-business-class carrier L’Avion, whose code will go onto OpenSkies’ JFK-Orly flights. OpenSkies refers to itself as a “premium airline,” although its initial 757 – reconfigured from 180 seats to 82 – will offer three classes of service, including 24 business class seats, 28 in premium economy, and 30 in economy class. The DOT approval means OpenSkies can start selling tickets this week; it can be booked through its own website (www.flyopenskies.com), through British Airways’ site, or by travel agents. The airline said it will add a second 757 later this year and will expand to a total of six by the end of 2009, eventually adding new routes from JFK to Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt and Milan. One possible problem: British Airways’ pilots have threatened to strike over the company’s plans for OpenSkies, since the new unit’s pilots will operate under a separate contract. That dispute has yet to be resolved.
