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

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

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

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

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