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United States
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BA launches transatlantic ‘OpenSkies’ airline
British Airways will launch its new US-EU subsidiary airline ‘OpenSkies’ with daily flights from New York to Brussels and Paris in June.
It will start with one Boeing 757 aircraft that will operate from New York to either Brussels or Paris Charles de Gaulle airports, as predicted by TravelMole.
A second aircraft will be added to the fleet later this year to fly to the other EU destination.
BA plans to operate six 757s by the end of 2009, all of which will be sourced from its current fleet.
The aircraft will carry up to 82 passengers on Boeing 757 aircraft with three onboard cabins: business, premium economy and economy.
OpenSkies’ business class cabin has 24 seats that convert into 6’ flat beds. There will be 28 premium economy seats with a 52” seat pitch and 30 economy seats.
BA chief executive Willie Walsh said: “By naming the airline OpenSkies, we’re celebrating the first major step in 60 years towards a liberalised US/EU aviation market which means we can fly between any US and EU destination.
“It also signals our determination to lobby for further liberalisation in this market when talks between the EU and US take place later this year.”
Dale Moss, BA’s former director of worldwide sales, will be managing director of OpenSkies.
The airline is registered in the UK and will shortly file an application for the necessary regulatory approval in the US and UK.
By Bev Fearis
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Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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