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

I’m pleased to soon be working with Marc Rochet, CEO of L’Avion, and his airline’s entire team. They’ve instilled a sound business model, culture of excellence, and desire to provide a unique flying experience. Their traits match ours. And we already have a history with them with our codeshare agreement.

But what’s this mean to you? It means that L’Avion’s two 757s and its experienced crew will become part of the OpenSkies family. It means more of the OpenSkies experience and BA Executive Club privileges. It means more
flights, an expanded schedule, and an additional New York area destination—Newark International Airport.

It means that we’ll be able to combine the best of both airlines, adding even more opportunities to be innovative. It means providing you with a flying experience like no other.

The deal itself isn’t finalized yet. Once it is, though, we’ll have loads of work to do to join the premium parts of each airline. It definitely won’t all happen overnight! But I can say that all of us are excited about welcoming L’Avion to the OpenSkies family.

Check back soon for updates.

Dale

Well, that’s exactly what we did!

We invited Randy Peterson, the founder of FlyerTalk.com, and 20 members of the frequent flier community to join us on our inaugural New York-Paris flight and enjoy the OpenSkies experience first-hand. These are the type of fliers we had in mind when we launched OpenSkies—globetrotters who really know the ins and outs of flying.

(photo courtesy of Brian Cohen @ The Gate)

As those of you following this blog know, we’ve worked hard at creating an exceptional experience in all our cabins. Brian Cohen noticed. He reports: “I had the filet of beef for dinner, which was very good. The flight attendants offered great service.” And Jared Blank of Online Travel Review has this to say: “All of us were blown away by the value of the Prem+ product. Seriously, it is a steal for what you get. I cannot overstate how much better it is to fly with so few people on board – the whole process (even if you were in economy) is so laid back and leisurely, without the insanity of boarding 250 other people.” And GBA of Flyertalk.com filed this trip report and even took photos!

I’m pleased that all of Flyertalk.com’s frequent fliers had such a great flight! And speaking of frequent fliers, if you’re a member of BA’s Executive Club you can earn and redeem BA miles on OpenSkies flights. If you aren’t already a member, I’d recommend signing up now.

Everyone seemed to enjoy the experience and we’re looking forward to more of Flyertalkers’ upcoming Trip Reports. And just like your comments on this blog, we’ll take all suggestions to heart. We’re always looking for ways to improve your experience—we don’t expect to be perfect right out of the gate, but we certainly hope to make a few new friends.

I want to personally thank the Flyertalk.com folks for joining us. As I’ve said before, we’re committed to continually improving and making your flight memorable—for all the right reasons!

Dale

This blog is very much in line with our philosophy of trying new things, innovating, and having fun doing it. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts! And I only wish the demands of making this airline fly didn’t limit my ability to respond. I will answer as much as I can as often as I can, and will bring in experts for answers that require more detail.

That said, here are some quick answers to a few of the topics you raised.

Routes: Your requests for destinations in Glasgow, Boston, Torino, San Francisco, Amsterdam, Madrid, etc. have been noted. (John, I hear you about Hawaii!) Believe me, we’d love to fly to all of them. For now, Paris and Brussels to New York is what we’re aiming for to start. With success, we will explore expansion into other EU cities.

Pricing: Given the regulatory process both in Europe and the US, I’m not able disclose any details until we have been given approval to do so. Our plan is to offer superior value for the money. As soon as we can say something, we will!

OneWorld: Many of you have asked, and the answer is we will not be part of the OneWorld alliance. OneWorld is global, and our focus is city-to-city. However, OpenSkies customers will earn Executive Club miles and will receive most of the same benefits as flying any OneWorld airline.

Name: Some of you agree with Felix, “Love the idea, but the name is cheesy.” Thanks for your candor. We believe the name is a metaphor for bringing a new openness to our industry. And, much like our collective imagination, the sky has no limits. Hence, OpenSkies. Additionally, we chose to keep the BA tailfin. We’re proud of our association with this esteemed brand and plan to implement BA excellence in what we do every day.

Also… Andy wants to know if we will have “an enhanced food offering.” Steve is curious about carbon offsets. Justin wants more detail on our Premium Economy offering. Please check back with us as we tackle these topics in the weeks to come.

Keep writing. I’ll keep reading.

Dale