30 January 2008

British Airways' Double Strike!

Earlier this month, Britain’s favourite airline announced plans to launch a new airline, named “OpenSkies”. British Airway’s new subsidiary airline will start flying in June 2008, with only one aircraft – a Boeing 757 - operating flights from New York to either Paris Charles de Gaulle or Brussels airports.

The new subsidiary airline has been named OpenSkies, and British Airway’s chief executive Willie Walsh explained the reasons for this name choice. “By naming the airline OpenSkies, we are 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 futher lieralisation in this market when talks between the EU and US take place later this year.”

A second Boeing 757 aircraft is expected to be added to the new airline’s fleet at some point later this year, in order to have at least one aircraft for each European destination – Paris & Brussels. OpenSkies’ long term plan, though, is to operate six Boeing 757’s by the end of 2009.

In the press release, issued by British Airways Plc, and distributed via electronic mail, the company confirmed that OpenSkies’ business calss cabin has 24 seats that convert into 6’ flat beds – an once-upon-a-time luxury that is rapidly becoming a must-have-feature, especially when it comes to long distance flights.

What is more, only days ago, British Airways announced its “London for Free” promotion... –that sounds luring – offering excellent priced World Traveller roundtrip fares and up to two night (one night for those who are travelling on their own) free hotel accommodation in London!

The roundtrip airfares start at $398 from Toronto and Montreal, and at $578 from Calgary and Vancouver. Some of London hotels participating in the “London for Free” promotion are: the Royal National, Central Park, Comfort Inn Kensington, Jurys Inn Chelsea, Marriott Maida Vale and Holiday Inn Regents Park.

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