BA launches "Open Skies" website

In response to the opportunities presented by the opening up of international airline flights between the EU and the USA, British Airways is launching a wholly owned subsidiary - Open Skies - to fly between continental Europe (Paris at least, but also possibly Amsterdam and Frankfurt) and the USA (New York JFK is the priority). Open Skies will not be an all business class airline like EOS, Silverjet and L'Avion. All the details are on its website which shows it will have business, premium economy and economy class, all on Boeing 757s.

Its economy class looks nothing special (right). However it will only have 5 rows at the back, so it wont be a plane dominated by the back seats. It will be a standard 3-3 configuration.

Premium economy with a 2-2 configuration and a 52" seat pitch (far superior to premium economy on current BA or Virgin Atlantic flights, but akin to BMI's) will be filling a niche, since premium economy is virtually unknown on most airlines in continental Europe (and from the USA). 28 seats in premium economy means seven rows, and frankly with seats like these, BA's premium economy is better than what some airlines offer across the Atlantic - certainly with few exceptions, these are at least as good as the seats in business class for most US airlines.

However, the primary point of this airline is to offer BA's fully flat bed business class. With the exception of United on one route, no airlines offer this between continental Europe and the USA. BA can beat Air France, Lufthansa, KLM and others. The business class offering is to use the old BA Club World seats that are being replaced by the redesigned New Club World seats on all of the 747s and 777. The seats are being refurbished and reused, but are still very good.

So here is hoping BA can make this fly. It should be able to offer a compelling product - fully lie flat seats, a premium economy that is like 1990s business class and a small economy class cabin.