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OpenSkies

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OpenSkies
File:Openskies.gif
IATA ICAO Call sign
EC BOS[1] MISTRAL[1]
Founded2008
Focus citiesJohn F. Kennedy International Airport
Frequent-flyer programExecutive Club
Fleet size1 (6 by 12/2009)
Destinations2
Parent companyBritish Airways
HeadquartersLondon, England, United Kingdom
Key peopleDale Moss (Managing Director)
Websitehttp://flyopenskies.com/
For the the air transport agreement, see Open skies.

OpenSkies (a trading name of BA European Limited) is a subsidiary airline of British Airways which began operations on 19 June 2008 using a single Boeing 757 transferred from the BA fleet. The airline will initially fly between Paris-Orly Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport in the United States.[2][3][4] The airline will be a full-service carrier and will offer business class, premium economy and economy cabins.[2] British Airways have also confirmed that they are looking at operating services from other European cities, including Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Madrid, Brussels, Rome and Milan.[4]

The routes that OpenSkies intends to fly are only possible because of the recent open skies agreements between the European Union and the United States governments which permit any American or European airline to operate services to and from any European or American location. The availability of landing slots limits the impact of the agreement at certain airports, such as London Heathrow Airport.[3][4]

BA European Limited trading as Openskies holds a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence which permits it to carry passengers, cargo, and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats.[5]

History

"Project Lauren" was the code-name for OpenSkies when it was first planned by British Airways.[6][7][8][9][10] British Airways' wanted to reduce the over-dependence on their Heathrow Airport hub by flying between the United States and cities in continental Europe.[6] The bypass was only able to be done after an open skies treaty between the United States the European Union would allow any airline to fly between airports in the two continents starting in March 2008.

Service

The new airline was initially rumoured to be planning business-class-only flights, with the first flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York to Orly Airport in Paris; the inaugural flight starting in New York on 19 June 2008.[7] However, the airline changed its plans to include a very small five row section of economy class seats in the rear of the aircraft in addition to premium economy and business class seats. This differs from the tactic of other existing business-class-only carriers flying from Europe to the United States. British Airways questioned the viability of all business class carriers after the failures/bankruptcies of MAXjet and Eos Airlines[citation needed].

Fleet

OpenSkies initially intends to operate a single model of aircraft, the Boeing 757.[2][3] British Airways has transfered one Boeing 757 aircraft for the start of operations in June, with an additional aircraft to be transferred to OpenSkies by December 2008, and a further 4 aircraft in service by December 2009. BA intends to transfer all of the aircraft from its existing fleet, replacing them with new Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft.[2][3] The Boeing 757 aircraft will be fitted with blended winglets to increase range, improve fuel consumption and decrease CO
2 emissions, and the cabin will be altered to provide 82 seats in 3 classes, down from the 180 seat configuration at present.[2][3][11]

The fleet retains the "Chatham Dockyard" tail fin livery, but features a grey underbody instead of the dark blue that features on British Airways fleet and has red winglets.[2] The first Boeing 757 was named Lauren after Project Lauren which started OpenSkies

OpenSkies will operate Boeing 757s transferred from parent company British Airways The first aircraft is G-BPEK.
Open Skies Fleet
Aircraft Total Passengers
(Biz/Prem+/Econ) 		Notes
Boeing 757-200 1 82 (24/28/30) Entry into service: June 19, 2008
Fitted with blended winglets

Codeshare agreements

  • L'Avion, an all business airline, has a partnership agreement with OpenSkies. L'Avion currently flies between Orly and Newark. Because of this code-share agreement, L'Avion's code will be placed on OpenSkies flights from Orly to New York-JFK.

Problems

Labour dispute

The planned airline would have been the subject of a labour dispute because British Airways was refusing to allow its own "mainline" pilots to fly the aircraft. The British Air Line Pilots' Association balloted its members for industrial action, including strike action, due to the failure to reach an agreement in negotiation between British Airways and BALPA. Any strike action would have involved all British Airways flights.[7][9] Pilots flying for the new airline will fly under a separate labour contract. BALPA has sinced decided to withdraw its High Court action stating it would “plainly be madness [for Balpa] to embark on industrial action with the risk that, in the end, it would be declared unlawful.”.[12]

Traffic restrictions

The planned airline may have problems obtaining necessary slots to John F. Kennedy International Airport as the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is debating measures to limit flights at the airport in order to reduce congestion and associated delays.[13] British Airways has stated that it believes that any restrictions at the airport will not sink plans for the airline and that it could select other airports besides JFK.[14] Despite the problems, Project Lauren is seen as a “low risk opportunity” according to British Airways.[8][10]

References

  1. ^ a b EUROCONTROL Designators for Aircraft Operating Agencies, Aeronautical Authorities and Services, Edition 144
  2. ^ a b c d e f Bokaie, Jemima (2008-01-09). "BA brands new airline OpenSkies". Brand Republic. Retrieved 2008-01-09. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ a b c d e "BA to launch 'open skies' airline". BBC News Online. BBC. 2008-01-09. Retrieved 2008-01-09. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  4. ^ a b c Stone, Rod (2008-01-09). "British Airways To Start US-Continental Europe Services". DOW JONES NEWSWIRES. CNN. Retrieved 2008-01-09. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  5. ^ Civil Aviation Authority Official Record Series 2 Number 1849 13 May 2008 - Type A Operating Licence granted from the 9 May 2008
  6. ^ a b Battle for Heathrow to NY flights - Telegraph
  7. ^ a b c BA 'risks pilot dispute on EU-US routes' : Heathrow Airport News Stories
  8. ^ a b British Airways CEO:New US-Europe Routes Soon;Sees Consolidation - BEURS.NL
  9. ^ a b <http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22667532-36375,00.html
  10. ^ a b BA readies 'Project Lauren' for U.S. expansion
  11. ^ "British Airways Fleet" (PDF). British Airways. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
  12. ^ TimesOnline : BA pilots ditch right to strike over OpenSkies
  13. ^ US may ground BA New York route plans - Times Online
  14. ^ Aviation Week : JFK Limits Would Not Hurt BA Plans, Walsh Says
Wikimedia Commons has media related to British Airways.
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