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

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

“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

Amsterdam will be the third great city to host OpenSkies. It’s an exciting step as we grow the airline, introduce our unique service to a whole new city and connect our friends in New York with another European destination. In fact, New York and Amsterdam have a long history as the Dutch were the first to settle Manhattan and originally named it “New Amsterdam”.

Why Amsterdam? Why not? It has Europe’s largest historic city center and is home to many great companies. It’s a major trading port and Schiphol is the 5th busiest passenger airport in Europe. A hub for commerce as well as a truly beautiful city with plenty to do: explore the city by bike like a local, cruise the historic canals, take in some fantastic museums and art galleries, and even do a bit of shopping.

We’ll be departing Amsterdam-Schiphol (AMS) at 1:20pm arriving in New York-JFK at 3:35pm. On the way back we’ll depart New York-JFK at 8:05pm arrive in Amsterdam-Schiphol at 9:40am the following morning. And that’ll be our schedule six days a week.

Flights will be available for booking from August 1, and we’ll kick it off with a special Amsterdam launch offer in PREM+. Check back soon!

Dale

I can’t think of a better way to launch our new airline then by linking two of the world’s business and cultural capitals together. So no matter what type of business you’re in, we’ll get you there rested and ready for that meeting—or for that fantastic cuisine, museum exhibit, or stroll along the Seine.

We also plan to be the first airline to have 180° flatbeds in business class between Paris and New York. But no matter which of our classes you fly, a fresh approach to personalized service and premium comfort are part of the experience.

Dale