Hello. We’re OpenSkies.
And here’s what we’re up to.
OpenSkies is a premium transatlantic airline that offers guests superior service, competitive fares and an exceptional value. OpenSkies flies non-stop from New York (Newark) to Paris (Orly), carrying up to 114 passengers per flight. Choose between three cabins: Biz Bed has seats that convert to fully-flat beds, Prem Plus has wide seats that recline 130° and Eco has comfortable leather seats, all equipped with digital tablets loaded with hours of entertainment.
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Subscribe to RSS FeedOur New Route, Through the Critics’ Eyes.
October 15, 1:20pm at Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam marked a tremendous day for us—our first commercial take off from the Netherlands. The flight was an unmitigated success, but you’d expect to hear that coming from me.
For good measure, we invited a few journalists and bloggers aboard our first NYC-AMS flight to give us a good, hard look. And they weren’t your ordinary pressmen, these guys are most-seasoned of travelers—tough, no-nonsense critics that aren’t easily impressed. Those are the kinds of folks we wanted kicking the tires.
Will Allen from Raleigh, North Carolina writes, “I think OpenSkies has broken the code on what international business class travelers want and need between the USA and Europe, and they offer it at a price that will satisfy even the strictest and stingiest corporate travel departments.”
And Joe Brancatelli writes, “The creature comforts of the OpenSkies PREM+ cabin are the latest and best-articulated developments in the nearly 20-year evolution of a fourth and entirely new class of international airline service.”
We’ve been hard at work putting together the best value flying. The seats, the meals, the entertainment system, the service and the small details in between—are all adding up to much larger experience.
But it’s not all strawberry shortcake. David Rowell enjoyed his flight and had some good things to say about the PREM+ cabin: “A business class experience for much less than a business class price.” He did note a few points about the service that we’ll focus our energies on improving. We are certainly grateful for David and critics like him for pointing out the small details that may get lost or forgotten. That’s an important way we’ll continue to get better.
Service, comfort, and legroom at a great price—if you can think of a better value, let me know. And the good news is that we’re always improving. So if you have something to say about our airline, service, seats, pillows, any detail will do—please say it! This airline was made for you. Our job is to keep you loving it.
Dale
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Navigating the ups and downs.
As a leader in these unpredictable times, it would be foolish not to take a close look at operations to make sure we are able to consistently deliver on our core promise: providing the best airline experience and value in the sky. Period.
We don’t want anything to compromise the integrity of this mission – not even a tough economy. We are in a fortunate position to have the strong support of an airline that has seen global economic dips and flips before: British Airways. But even though we fall under the umbrella of BA, we are still responsible for making careful and prudent decisions to ensure a superior experience.
We’ve been hard at work prioritizing our plans, putting first things first. And by “we”, I mean the OpenSkies team and the team at L’Avion. Both of us have been working together as one team expressing our mission in new and unique ways.
Here are a few of the specific items we’ve carefully considered and are acting on today:
- Reservations system integration: This is a top priority so OpenSkies customers will be able to book on L’Avion’s website and vice versa.
- Management decisions: Even though you may see two different logos, two different-looking aircraft, two different websites, we are making all decisions with one voice.
- French Operating Certificate: We fly 3 of every 4 flights out of Paris, so we are basing our operating certificate there. Plus, we have vast and numerous future route opportunities under a French AOC.
Here are a couple of planned items that will be put into action once the global economy steadies:
- Repainting the L’Avion aircraft with OpenSkies colors.
- Adding routes: We would like to stay focused on the routes we fly today. When economic conditions improve, we’ll dive back into expansion.
As we become one airline, we not only want to make sure the transition is smooth, we also want to make careful, prudent, sensible decisions moving forward, moving up the items we need now, and de-emphasizing the items that can wait.
Until then, you can expect what you always have: a delightful flight. If you have any questions, please ask.
Dale
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Our new route: Amsterdam – NY
It feels like just yesterday that we announced our new Amsterdam-New York route. And as of tomorrow, October 15, we take flight.
There’s a lot to be excited about. And there’s been a lot of work getting everything ready. (We’ve even lined up an official ribbon cutting ceremony with local dignitaries in Amsterdam to celebrate.)
Since we announced the new route in July, we’ve been busy preparing the plane and crew, confirming our arrival and departure slot and organizing our ground operations. We’re finalizing our catering with chef inspired meals served on real china with wine poured from a full size bottle. All of which can be enjoyed with our on-demand in-flight entertainment, now featuring Dutch films and TV shows. For those more interested in catching up on the news, we’ve added Dutch newspapers to the mix.
What else? Well, we’ve repainted, refitted, and reconfigured another 757 from BA’s fleet to make it into a more spacious, two cabin configuration—a configuration unlike any in the industry. (if you’ve flown to Paris with us recently you may have noticed the expanded PREM+ cabin. We’re also the only airline flying the Amsterdam-New York route that offers true lie-flat bed in business class, so you’ll arrive relaxed and ready.
If you’re flying our BIZ cabin out of Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, don’t forget to visit the BA lounge and enjoy a snack or cappuccino. And when flying New York to Amsterdam, keep in mind the BA lounge at JFK airport offers BIZ passengers pre-flight meals, so you can have dinner before you board – giving yourself more time to make use of those 6 foot-long, 180° flat beds!
Soon we’ll be winging our way over the Atlantic, connecting the city of canals, tulips, and quaint cafes to the city of skyscrapers, Central Park, and subways.
I’m proud of the team’s efforts to get our second route flying, and I’m looking forward to introducing OpenSkies to our friends in Amsterdam.
As always, feel free to drop me a note or question in our comment section. I’m interested in hearing what you think of our new route—and interested in hearing about your experience on the flight itself.
Whether you’re heading to New Amsterdam (NYC) or the old one, as of tomorrow, OpenSkies will be the way to fly.
Dale
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Smooth travel in turbulent times.
It’s the same story everywhere you look. Newspapers, the internet, TV, and radio reports are saying times are tough. Everyone is affected by the turbulent markets and rising prices.
The good news is OpenSkies.
When we launched last spring with the full support of British Airways, our mission was to bring something unique to the marketplace. OpenSkies is built on the idea of providing exceptional comfort and service at a great price. That’s exactly what we’ve been doing. We use our resources wisely. And by carefully expanding one route at a time, we’re able to stick to our principle of providing you value. That’s a big deal, especially now that travel budgets are tightening.
Travelers hesitant to pay the high price of flying international business class don’t have to give up flatbed seats or amenities just to save money. OpenSkies BIZ is a great option. And for around the same price as a full fare flight in economy on a competing airline, you can fly PREM+, where you’ll enjoy business class comfort for a lot less money.
There is one thing we can’t offer you that other airlines can—a middle seat. None of the 64 seats in our newly reconfigured planes—24 BIZ and 40 PREM+—are middle ones, which is great news for people like me who hate getting trapped between two other passengers.
So if you’re reevaluating your travel expenses, keep us in mind. Great value and exception service—OpenSkies is an airline whose time has come.
If you have an idea on how we can improve, or something you’d like to see us start doing, post your thoughts in our comment section. Your questions and suggestions are important to us.
Dale
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Book, ticket, board—it’s that easy.
We didn’t invent flying, but we’re out to improve on the experience. The same can be said of the ticketing, check-in, and the boarding process. We’ve made it simple and convenient, which means you get through the airport and onto the plane a lot quicker.
When I first started out in this industry many moons ago, they’d write out your ticket by hand. A lot has changed since then—and for the better. We’ve set up our system so you can book your OpenSkies ticket online through our website or through British Airways’ (our parent company) site, or even via a travel agent.
Once you’ve booked your ticket, you can easily manage it online. Log in to your booking by typing in your confirmation number and last name and voilà! You can cancel your flight, select a meal option, input your passport information and pick the available window or aisle seat (no middle seats!) to your liking. Joining us in BIZ class? Choose any available forward or rear facing flatbed seat you like.
It’s all online—so you can manage the entire process with your click finger.
Twenty-four hours prior to take-off, we’ll send you an email reminder. You can check-in online to speed things up or check in at the airport. Either way, we have dedicated OpenSkies desks where you will pick up your boarding card. At the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS-JFK flights start October 15!) it’s in Hall 3, rows 21 and 22. In Paris Orly Airport, it’s at the Sud (South) terminal, desks 2, 3, and 4, just opposite the G gate. And at New York JFK, it’s at terminal 7, next to the British Airways’ First Class check in.
So book a flight, experience the difference, and then let us know your thoughts.
Dale
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New route, special offers
It’s a tough call—skyscrapers, Central Park, and great shopping deals or canals, cobblestone squares, and quaint cafes. Starting October 15, you can have both with our new New York to Amsterdam route!
I have to say that I’m really excited about our new route. And what better way to celebrate a fantastic new route than with a fantastic deal.
For four days only, from September 9 through September 12, 2008, a round trip BIZ ticket from New York to Amsterdam is only $1609*, all taxes included. And a round trip PREM+ ticket is only $1158*, all taxes included. Talk about a great deal.
So how did we come up with $1609*? Besides being a great price for a roundtrip BIZ ticket, 1609 is significant for another reason. Let’s see if you know.
Is it:
A. The number of miles between New York City and Amsterdam.
B. The year Henry Hudson explored the New York waterways.
C. The number of paintings in the Van Gogh Museum.
If you guessed B, you’re right! Henry Hudson was hired by the Dutch East India Trading Company in 1609 to explore the New York waterways in hopes of finding a passage to Asia.
I know I mentioned it in an earlier post, but it’s worth saying again—our flights to Amsterdam will feature our new duel cabin reconfiguration. We’re expanding PREM+ from 28 to 40 seats—which means more opportunity to enjoy business class comfort without the business class cost.
So why not plan to have Thanksgiving in New York City, or enjoy a cozy Christmas in Amsterdam? And why not tell your friends and family about this deal. With prices like these, it’s hard to find a reason not to go.
But don’t wait too long to book. This offer is only good from September 9 through 12, 2008. (But we always have some great offers. Check out our offers page of other deals we have.)
As they say in Amsterdam, Gauw tot ziens! (See you soon!)
Dale
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Go ahead, ask away.
One of the great things about the OpenSkies blog is that I get to hear from the people that really matter—you. I love reading your comments (and yes, I read them all).
If you’ve been following the blog at all, you know how much effort we’ve put into launching OpenSkies. But just because we’re up and flying, that doesn’t mean we haven’t stopped working hard. We’re always out to improve. And your thoughts and suggestions are helping us do just that. So keep them coming!
In a lot of the posts, I’ve broadly touched on some of your questions, but I thought it’d be a good idea to start addressing specific questions.
We received some great questions when we announced our new Amsterdam to New York route. Lucky asks, “Out of curiosity, why is the route only six days a week (or does it just have a different schedule the other day)?”
We don’t fly the Amsterdam route on Saturday. Generally, Saturdays aren’t a big day for business travelers, so we decided not to fly then.
Michel was interested to know if we are a part of the One World Alliance. He asks, “I have a question regarding One World Around The World Tickets and Open Skies: will it be possible to schedule a One World ATWT incorporating Open Skies flights?”
We’re not a member of the OneWorld Alliance, though Executive Club members earn BA Miles and reward points for flying with us. We decided not to join the OneWorld Alliance and instead focus strictly on direct routes, freeing us of the complexities of transferring luggage and connecting flights, and allowing us to focus on you. It’s also one of the reasons our operational record stands as it does. So while we aren’t part of the One World Around The World ticket, we can definitely be part of your world travels!
Marc wonders if we have a special offer for passengers on our Amsterdam to New York flight.
Actually, we have a great Amsterdam to New York offer available now through September 8, 2008. You can fly PREM+ from Amsterdam to New York from 1045 Euros, including all taxes and fees. Click here for the details.
And Jeroen asks, “Will you start advertising your airline and the new route from Amsterdam in any Dutch publications like newspapers or magazines?”
Yes! We’re looking at some possible print publications, as well as billboards. Starting soon, we’re putting out the word with online advertisements. So keep an eye out for them.
Moving forward, I’ll be answering individual questions left in the comments sections once a month. So start writing.
I wasn’t kidding when I said your thoughts are important to us.
Dale
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What happens when the sky is closed?
With a flash of lightening or crack of thunder, Mother Nature can literally close the skies to air travel. July 27 was such a day. Severe thunderstorms pummeled the New York City area and JFK Airport in particular. And you can imagine the hassle that ensued: congestion, flight delays, runway closures, cancellations, ugh!
I like to think that OpenSkies is full of creative problem solvers. And when circumstances are beyond our control, that’s when we truly shine. You may be asking, how does an airline with only one aircraft handle disruption? It’s a good question, and one we knew we’d have to support. As part of the British Airways family, we have the resources and reach to handle most any situation on the spot.
For example, when those summer thunderstorms diverted our Paris-New York flight to Boston, the storms lingered over JFK long enough that the flight crew had to be relieved of duty by law. The flight was canceled, and that cancellation caused a domino effect of other cancellations. But that doesn’t mean our travelers were left stranded.
We were able to connect directly with our British Airways teams in Boston, London and Paris to provide all the assistance to our travelers to ensure they arrived at their destination safely, and as quickly as possible.
I like to think of us as a little airline with a lot of support, and that we can call on our BA colleagues when we need to. But that doesn’t happen very often. Our operational record is quite good. If a flight arrives within 15 minutes of the scheduled time it’s within the industry standard. Since launch, we’ve been hitting this mark over 92% of the time. Even better, over 80% of our flights have arrived within 3 minutes.
You’ve heard me say that we’re dedicated to a great flying experience, but we’re also dedicated a reliable one.
Dale
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That’s entertainment!
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably missed a lot of great movies that have come through the theaters. (Believe it or not, Seabiscuit was the last movie I saw in a theater.) That’s one of the treats of flying with OpenSkies—getting to catch-up on the latest entertainment.
As with everything we do, we’ve put a lot of thought into our inflight entertainment system. We’re using the Archos 705 portable media player, which we call AVOD (yes, another acronym! This one stands for audio/video on demand). I really think the system we’re using is the best out there. Why? Take for instance the player’s holder. On some airlines you have to prop the device on your meal tray; ours is designed to stay out of your way, which means you can enjoy a meal while watching a movie, a sitcom, a sporting event—there’s too much to list!
Something I often find irritating with state-of-the-art technology is that it gets too fancy for its own good. That’s not the case with our AVOD. We made sure it’s straightforward and easy-to-use. Grant Martin had a chance to try it out on a recent flight and wrote about it on Gadling.com. “Refreshingly responsive,” he called it.
All of this doesn’t mean much if you don’t have a big selection of programs to choose from. We do. We offer 20 newly released movies—even international titles like Bluff, or Heure d’été. He have 42 TV shows (everything from Ugly Betty to Mad Men), 66 musical artists with 777 titles, and 10 interactive games. That’s a lot—some 50 hours of audio and video. And the Seinnheiser headsets—with noise-canceling technology—ensure you hear what you’re listening to, not the sounds around you. If you’ve had the chance to experience our AVOD, let us know your thoughts on it.
Dale
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More PREM+ to Love
“All of us were blown away by the value of the Prem+ product. Seriously, it is a steal for what you get.” Says Jared Blank of the Online Travel Review.
“The seat was much wider, at least around the shoulders, which made it easy to get comfortable. I also found the leather to be non-sticky and easy to find a comfortable position in, which is a big plus… Overall I can’t find one thing to fault the seats for,” says Ben A.K.A. “Lucky” from One Mile at A Time.
We thought we were onto something with PREM+, but we didn’t anticipate this kind of reaction! From the very start, we built this airline with a spirit of creativity and passion for listening to our customers. Really listening.
Your voices have been heard. Our PREM+ cabin is expanding from 28 seats to 40 seats on both our Paris/NYC route (as of October 1) and Amsterdam/NYC route (October 15 is our first flight). That means no more than 64 passengers on the entire plane.
But really, what does that mean? I know when I’m on a 7-hour flight, I don’t like to be cramped in claustrophobic quarters. I don’t like to be shifting and fidgeting to relax. When we designed our cabins, we were striving for living-room comfort—not only in our chairs, but also throughout our entire cabin. That includes the food, service, entertainment, privacy, everything. It’s not perfect yet but—with your help—we’re getting closer.
And affordability is also an issue nowadays when many budgets don’t allow for full-price business class travel. PREM+ is the perfect alternative. It gives you a more affordable business class experience, so you arrive refreshed and ready for the day with money to spare. Check out our latest PREM+ offers for both the Amsterdam/NYC and Paris/NYC routes.
The optimum flying experience, that’s what we’re going for. We have a lot of work to do, but at least we’re flying in the right direction.
Dale
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