Hello. We’re OpenSkies.
And here’s what we’re up to.
In the Spring of 2008, an agreement between the European Union and the United States opened the skies for transatlantic travellers. The innovative minds at British Airways saw a unique opportunity—OpenSkies was born. As a new airline, we’ve quickly earned our wings by providing premium comfort and personalised service and an exceptional value. In the short time since our inception, we’ve been quite busy. Our first route (New York-Paris) launched in June 2008. In July, we acquired L’Avion airlines and are integrating the two airlines. Then in October 2008, we added a New York-Amsterdam route. Through our blog, we’re recording all the work that goes into creating and growing an airline, which is quite a lot. Your comments and suggestions have been a vital part helping us become—and continue to be—the airline that gets the little things right.
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It’s been 2 months since I last wrote and apologies for this. I have felt like I have been behind the moon for a while…it’s great to be back. The time was spent working on a possible investor front and in today’s world I am sure you can appreciate how important that was for our company. It was intense and time consuming but very rewarding.
British Airways as part of their overall strategic review asked that OpenSkies go to the financial markets and try to solicit proposals from investors who might be interested in a becoming part shareholder. Very proudly I can say there was significant interest. Obviously some proposals were better than others but all were valid and worthy of serious consideration. BA then spent some time considering the options and they have reached a conclusion. I am delighted to report BA has chosen to remain the sole shareholder. This was a huge vote of confidence for our company and I know I speak on behalf of all my colleagues in OpenSkies when I say we’re thrilled. BA is such a great brand. But the work never ends…
We are now well positioned to return to our plan to grow as we look to new markets and new opportunities. However we know much of our future is in our hands. It starts with a game winning combination of daring to be different, a better product at a better price and of course great customer service. As we move forward, we must remember our recipe and always be mindful that the customer needs to be at the center of all we do. I can promise we will do our best…we aspire to make our customers always happy, our shareholder fairly rewarded and our teammates proud to be part of OpenSkies. When you are a new business, just being good is not good enough…
In conclusion, this financial commitment comes on the heels of seeing a nice recovery for our brand and products. Our load factors and market share continue to rise as people become aware of us. While the flights are filling up we will always do our best to have your seat ready when you need it. Do let me know your thoughts on any of the above; I enjoy reading your comments.
All the best,
Dale
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OpenSkies Me
Anyone who’s flown us knows that a personalized and unique experience is what we’re all about. And our Paris team has come up with a great way to show how we do just that.
It’s called “OpenSkies Me”. I feel the campaign really hits the nail on the head, highlighting how stress-free and enjoyable the OpenSkies experience is.
But I have to warn you, after flying OpenSkies, you might come to expect the same exceptional service in your day-to-day life. These fun videos show what happens after you’ve experienced the personalized attention of OpenSkies Me.
So whether you’re traveling for business, leisure, or just for a visit home, OpenSkies is out to be your airline of choice.
But great service and comfort aren’t the only things that differentiate us. We recently introduced our Best Fare Guarantee. Not only have we heard good things from you about it, but both Flyertalk.com and Reuters have taken note of our commitment to offer the best business class fares flying—guaranteed.
Let me know what you think of our new OpenSkies Me initiative. Or better yet, tell me about your own OpenSkies Me experience.
Dale
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Making the Best, Even Better
It makes sense that if there’s a better product out there at a better price; people are going to go for it. That’s why we’re out to continually improve, making sure we stay the best in the business. And that’s why we’re introducing the OpenSkies Best Fare Guarantee.
So how does the Best Fare Guarantee – or BFG as it’s known around the office – work? Book a flight with us. If you find the same business class itinerary at a lower fare on another airline, we’ll credit you the difference towards a future OpenSkies flight. It’s that simple.
I’ve said it often, but it’s worth repeating. From day one, our mission has been to provide you the best in business class comfort and the best price. Our ‘more for less’ position has been a standard we’ve upheld, and the numbers prove we’re on the right track. In our first year, we’ve captured 25% of the NY-Paris business class route.
It’s true that the market landscape has changed since we took flight last year. But our commitment to providing you the unbeatable business class value, hasn’t.
As anyone who’s flown with us knows, we’re not just out to get you from point A to point B. We’re out to provide an exceptional experience for less. So let your friends, family, and colleagues know: OpenSkies delivers the premier business class comfort at the best possible prices, guaranteed.
Let me know your thoughts on our new Best Fare Guarantee. As always, I enjoy reading your comments.
Dale
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Go ahead, ask away part 5
I love reading through the comments section and seeing your thoughts and questions.
Panagis and Geri brought up the question about access to the BA Lounges. It may not seem like it, but lounge access is significant cost. We’ve been discussing our policy, examining how to balance providing you the best benefits at the best possible price. As of right now, all Biz Seat and Biz Bed cabins have lounge access in Paris and Newark. I’ll keep you up-to-date on any new developments.
Stephen Cryan had a slew of good questions. He was interested in knowing if, even in the economic downturn, OpenSkies is on its way to achieving its business objective.
Our original plan called for profitability when we start our fourth year of operation. Like most businesses, we didn’t foresee the depth of difficulty of the past year. We’re recasting our business plan to address today’s reality and can’t predict a timeline for profitability just yet.
The good news is there is a demand for comfort and quality at a low cost, especially in times like these. It’s what’s enabled us to capture 25% of the Paris market in just 9 months. We’re in a good position for when the markets and economies bounce back.
Stephen also brings up the fact that a lot of people think it’s a good idea for us to expand our network.
We’ve stuck with being a point-to-point carrier because it kept our business simple and streamlined. But the recession has taught us a lot. While point-to-point is our “sweet spot,” it doesn’t have to be our exclusive spot. So over the next handful of months, we’ll be exploring the possibility of expanding our reach to cities beyond our gateways. I’ll definitely let you know what we find out.
So make sure to visit this blog often.
Dale
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Go ahead, ask away part 4
We’ve gotten some great questions over the past weeks. I wanted to take time to answer a few.
First, both Patrick and Orian were wondering why they don’t see more OpenSkies ads in more magazines, newspapers, or on TV.
We’ve built OpenSkies for people who desire the best in business class comfort at the best possible price. Like the recent promotion celebrating our one-year anniversary, we focus our message in places geared to our customers. We don’t mass market. It’s wasteful, and we’re not.
Jerome was curious about our policy on pet travel. The simple answer: pets are great! We welcome cats and dogs to fly with their owners in the Biz Seat cabin. To find out how to book a ticket for a pet, visit our website.
With the news regarding British Airways selling some of the 757s, Christopher wondered what it meant for us. I’ve touch on this topic in an earlier post. The fact that BA has chosen to sell their aircraft has never been a bother for us and we continue to have their full support. As for when the time comes for us to expand our fleet, we’ve researched the market for 757s and feel confident that there are plenty out there that fit our future growth needs. So there is no need to read anything else in the BA announcement. It works for them and us.
As for Stacey’s difficulty contacting us, our phone lines are sometimes busy due to a lot of calls. We go through our emails daily and respond as quickly as possible. If you like, you can email us at concierge@flyopenskies.com with your phone number and a request to call you. We definitely will!
Check back soon. And keep the questions coming!
Dale
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OpenSkies to Refocus Business Efforts on Paris – New York Route
Today we announced the suspension of our Amsterdam service effective August 16th. No question it is disappointing news. We tried very hard to make it, but the current market forces were just a bit too difficult. Seeing the market reduce in size so significantly, so quickly, without any indication of improvement, made our decision straightforward. Disappointed yes, but discouraged? Absolutely not! We know we have the business product for the future and are confident we will have our day. But for now we need to manage our business as all small businesses do, by prudently managing resources.
Years ago a fellow Fordham University alumni, Vince Lombardi said that none of his teams ever lost a game, but sometimes they just ran out of time. That applies here for Amsterdam. My most sincere wish is that someday OpenSkies will return to Amsterdam and make it another signature route.
I want to thank all the customers who flew with us and the travel trade and corporate community who supported us. I also want to thank all the authorities at Schiphol Airport who helped us enormously during our time there. Everyone treated us very well.
This change gives us the chance to continue to build on the success we have developed on our Paris route. In just over 2 years we have gained over 25% market share. We have done it with a much better product at a much better price. Why do people love OpenSkies? Some customers say it’s the feel they get when they board our planes and see the special seating configuration. For others perhaps it’s the great personalized service that our staff consistently delivers. Or maybe it’s the 10 minute boarding and de-boarding of the aircraft which is another nice convenience, and I know there are so many more.
So we will ride this challenging time out this winter, building on our strengths and waiting for market indications of improvement. We stand ready for charters and new route opportunities and can rally resources in a most surprisingly quick fashion. Our team has a number of scenarios planned for further growth and development but the times call for a more conservative approach at the moment, so we await our signs from the market.
After being in this business more years than I care to admit, I know one thing…it will get better. Perhaps we are seeing some signs of that now with the Dow in the US rising above 9,000 for the first time since January. But I also know this…the cycle we are in now is more extreme and likely to produce some different results than in cycles past. The days of conspicuous consumption as we have seen for the past decade or so are probably over. Perhaps it’s the optimist in me that says OpenSkies is positioned very well to take full advantage of a recovery as people search for better products at better prices.
I welcome your comments.
Dale
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Something to celebrate. One year flying.
It’s been a while since my last update, but I’m back in the swing of it. And the good news is I’ve got some great news to share. We’re marking our one-year anniversary!
As those of you who’ve been following the blog know, a lot of hard work went into making our first year such a success. We launched OpenSkies in record time, partnered with L’Avion to strengthen our offerings, and added the first all-business class Amsterdam-NYC route. When other airlines increased their costs and reduced their capacity, we increased our capacity and reduced costs. Over the year, our market share has grown and there are few empty seats. That means a healthy airline.
In the past twelve months, we’ve welcomed 92,000 passengers aboard our flights. That’s a solid feat for a new airline, even in the best of times. We’ve not only endured during a tough economy, we’ve continue to show improvements every month. Why? Because we truly are a unique airline whose time has come. All business class, all the time—and at an exceptional value.
It feels pretty good to look back on all we’ve accomplished this past year, but we’re not just sitting around the offices congratulating ourselves and slapping each other on the back. There’s an American baseball player who said it best. He said, “It’s okay to look back, just don’t stare.” We’re not staring at the past. We focused on the future, making OpenSkies the best flying experience out there.
And what we’re focused on right now is bringing you some great deals to celebrate our anniversary. You’ll see that topnotch service and complete comfort don’t have to come at a lavish price.
If you’ve flown with us over the past year, drop me a note and let me know about your experience. If we’ve yet to welcome you aboard, I look forward to seeing you in year two.
Dale
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100% business class, 100% of the time.
Spring’s finally arrived. And what a busy spring it’s already been.
As you can see from the photo above, we’ve already wheeled one of the two L’Avion 757s into the hangar and made it part of the OpenSkies family by repainting it with the updated OpenSkies livery that mixes in tones of L’Avion’s signature purple. Flatbed seats are being added over the next couple months and we’re also installing the Archos inflight entertainment system. That means over 50 hours of movies, TV, music and games.
What else are we up to? As part of our integration with L’Avion, we’re changing a few things. BIZ is now Biz Bed and PREM+ has been renamed Biz Seat. So why the new names Biz Bed and Biz Seat? To better convey the fact that, no matter the cabin, you’ll experience business class excellence. We also want to keep things lively, so we’re introducing new dishes to our chef-inspired menu—always made from the freshest ingredients. And of course there’s the great wine selection, always poured from a real bottle.
What isn’t changing is the exceptional comfort, attention to service, and personal touch—and unbeatable value—you’ve come to expect from us. That means loyal L’Avion flyers like Jerome Pineau have no reason to worry.
I’ve been asked about the uniforms, and yes, updated uniforms are part of the integration. Everyone will be suited up by September, but in the meantime, you may see L’Avion and OpenSkies crew members in their current uniforms working together on a flight. No matter the uniform, though, everyone will have an OpenSkies nametag—and everyone is committed to providing you memorable business class experience.
We’re looking forward to expanding the family—and I’m looking forward to hearing what you think of our integration.
Dale
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Facts about our future.
As you may know, our first two aircraft—our beloved 757s—have come from British Airways’ distinguished fleet. And the merger with L’Avion now lands us at a total of four 757 aircraft.
With the economy as it is, we plan to hold steady right there—so no new additions to the fleet and no new routes for now. Not for a lack of wanting to add aircraft and destinations, but we believe it’s only the smart thing to do in this tough financial climate.
Recently, British Airways announced a sale of its remaining 757s. Since OpenSkies is built around the 757 configuration, it’s natural to think that British Airways has lost confidence in our viability. Cranky Flier poses this point very directly. We can’t blame him or others for the speculation, but it simply isn’t the case. BA’s decision to sell the 757s has nothing to do with OpenSkies’ strength as a business.
If the British Airways planes aren’t in the air generating revenue, now is the time to sell them to the highest bidder and get them off the balance sheets. And this is OK by us. We have assessed the market for 757s and believe that there are plenty available with the proper configuration when we decide to grow in the future.
I believe our little airline is ripe for opportunity, especially in this market. OpenSkies offers the kind of value that other airlines can’t: A premium flying experience without prohibitive costs.
I hope you agree. And even if you don’t, please tell us why by commenting on this post.
Dale
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Combine, refine, making one airline.
Successful relationships build on the strengths of each partner. That’s the whole point of two companies (or two people, for that matter) coming together—to combine the best of both. And that’s what we’re out to do by integrating L’Avion with OpenSkies.
And we’re well on the way. Right now, we’re unifying the two selling systems and should be complete by the end of March. What does that mean? That OpenSkies and L’Avion will have just one booking code (which means no confusion with your ticket!). We’re also combining our reservation systems and consolidating our call centers. Which means you’ll be able to book your flight more conveniently, and in the manner you want.
We’re taking the great parts from each of our sites and incorporating them into one. L’Avion’s popular “Paryorker” section, where our savvy travelers provide personal tips for your destination, will definitely be on the new site. We’re also adding features to improve your experience. On the new site, you’ll be able to create a personal profile, which will speed your booking process and keep you notified about special offers. And we’re not only improving how your fare options are displayed, but we’re adding extras like the ability to buy travel insurance while you book.
So no matter how you book your travel, it’ll be speedy, smooth, and easy.
What else can you look forward to? I’ll be bringing you updates on the remodeling of the L’Avion’s planes, the uniform redesigns, and our reviewing of the menu (and taking the best from each airline to create an even better dining experience!). So keep an eye out for those posts.
And let me know your thoughts and suggestions. We’re always open to new ideas.
Dale
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