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

As mentioned in an earlier post, we’ve increased the fuel efficiency of our planes upwards of 4% by adding winglets. Less fuel burned means cleaner skies. And being that we’re part of the British Airways family, carbon trading is part of our operating procedures. We also offer a carbon offsetting program which allows you to balance out the CO2 emissions of flying. Look out for it the next time you book a flight.

Every bit counts when it comes to refuse reduction and rethinking onboard amenities is a good example. Instead of just handing you a kit filled with items—items you might not want or need—our flight attendants ask what you’d like. Toothbrush, toothpaste, ear plugs, eye mask, a USB drive, power adapter, and even skin tonics, lip balm, or eye gels from Elemis—you can take what you need and leave what you don’t. We also provide you with a strong, clear toiletries pouch that’s approved by airport security for carrying liquids and can be used time and again. If you’re a frequent traveler like me, I think you’ll find the reusable pouch and take-what-you-need amenities a great way to avoid cluttering up your bathroom with dozens of airline amenity kits, or worse, adding them to a landfill.

We take this same thoughtful, less-waste approach to our meal service. That entails serving wine from a full-sized bottle (so we’re not tossing a bunch of little bottles!). And our meals are brought to you on china, with linen tablecloths and napkins that can be washed and reused. No needless packaging.

Continuously finding ways to improve our services and be greener is a big part of our commitment. That’s why we’ve set the goal to recycle half the waste we dispose of by 2010 and are working directly with our suppliers to explore ways to cut packaging and food waste.

Being conscious custodians of the planet is all part of the OpenSkies spirit. Let us know your thoughts on how we’re doing, and if you’ve got any ideas on ways to reduce waste or mitigate our carbon footprint. We’d love to hear your suggestions.

Dale

Our site is up, reservations are being booked and our first flight is just weeks away. So what do you think is on my mind right now? Food! Specifically, beef tenderloin with fresh vegetables, buttered spinach and parmesan tuiles. Chicken and artichoke pâté with a beetroot and fig salsa. Tea and crisp, delicious macaroons.

Does that sound like airplane food to you?

I’ve just been scanning our menu and I feel like I’m right back at the restaurant I mentioned in an earlier post. It’s truly inspiring to see all the creativity going into our food service. But beyond the imaginative chef-work, we are working hard to ensure that whatever we serve is healthy for you, and the environment.

* We are committed to using locally available, seasonal ingredients.
* We will serve fair trade coffee and chocolates on board.
* We are determined to use eco-friendly packaging to reduce waste.

Taking advantage of all the great seasonal produce, our menu will change throughout the year. So if you’re a frequent flier you’ll enjoy a nice variety of good, healthy meals. Hopefully you’ll agree that an OpenSkies experience is more than just getting from point A to point B.

All this talk of our meals has made me hungry. Is it dinnertime yet?

Dale

For starters, there are only 30 seats in Econ, which means no issue of overcrowding. You’ll be able to board and disembark the plane quickly and easily. We also put a lot of thought into the seats themselves and came up with the leather Econ seat that’s actually comfortable. And to S.M.’s question, each Econ seat offers our AVOD personal entertainment system with over 50 hours of audio and video. Add to that the fact that you get great tasting, healthy meals, exceptional wine service (something not seen in most economy class cabins), and personalized, attentive service.

Those may sound like small details, but they’re all a part of building a lasting impression—they’re all a part of how we’re out to make Econ a whole new experience.

Let us know what you think.

Dale

“So Dale,” you might be saying, “extra space is great, but what about the seats themselves? What about the overall experience?” Glad you asked! We’ve put a lot of thought into the Prem+ cabin. Newly designed with premium features and comfort, the leather seats offer two universal power plugs for computer and personal electronics (good news to Dave C), a convenient coat hook and our AVOD personal entertainment system with over 50 hours of audio and video. As for the experience, there’s our premium wine service, specially prepared meals that are both healthy and tasty, and—with no more than 28 passengers in the cabin—highly personalized service from the crew.

Louis is right—we’ll be the only airline with a premium economy cabin flying Paris-New York. To top that, prem+ will be the only premium economy cabin with so much space and comfort flying from cities throughout continental Europe to NYC.

So no matter how you spend your flight—getting a great night’s sleep, watching a fantastic movie, working on that important presentation, or comfortably easing into your holiday—Prem+ is business-class flying that’s surprisingly easy on the wallet.

Dale

I’ve said it so often that it’s become my mantra: We’re out to do things differently. How? Well, for starters, we have a new name for our Business Class—we’re calling it Biz. Now you might be saying, “Big deal, Dale. You changed the name!” It’s a small thing, I know. But if I’ve learned anything over the years, it’s that the small things matter. They add up to something big.

So what else? Well, we’ll have 180° flat bed seats, not the “sliders” you find on most flights between continental Europe and New York. That means that you’ll arrive at your destination rested, refreshed, and ready to tackle the day.

Plush, comfortable, fully flat bed seats are vital, but a great flight is more than just that—it’s about the overall experience. We’re different there, too. The Biz cabin will have only 24 seats, meaning the high attendant-to-guest ratio will ensure personalized service. And you’ll also get an IFE AVOD—which is just a tech-y way for saying you’ll have your own entertainment system with over fifty hours of on-demand programming.

We’re also out to change the meaning of “airline food.” First off, we’re expanding beyond the standard “chicken or beef” option to bring more fresh, healthy, a la carte selections. Add to that a great choice of wines and a service style that is modeled from a fine dining restaurant.

The personalized attention isn’t just found on the planes—it’s at the terminals, too. Dedicated Biz check-in will speed you on your way and private lounges will round out the exceptional OpenSkies experience.

What makes an exceptional business class experience for you? I’d love to know.

Dale

I’ve been in the airline business for 30+ years, and yet I still get excited when an in-flight experience makes me say “Finally, someone gets it!” That’s the feeling we’re out to create by providing a premium product at a great price. What’s that mean? For starters:

- A well traveled team that’s dedicated to getting the little things right for each passenger
- Business class 180 degree lie-flat seats
- All passengers get their wine poured from a proper bottle, not tiny individual bottles (less waste!)
- More of an “a la carte” meal service instead of the standard shrink-wrapped offerings
- Personal AVOD entertainment units with 50+ hours of programming

And since we’re starting small, we’re able to quickly adapt, evolve, and continually improve the customer experience. So whether you’re on a flight, at the gate, or just surfing our upcoming website, you’re going to see how we’re not like everybody else. (Thank you Mr. Davies.)

Are we going to change the world? Not quite. But we are out to change a small but important part of it. So tell us your “Finally, someone gets it!” moments—we’d love to learn from your experiences.

Dale