British Airways Reinvests in OpenSkies

Launches ‘Eco’ class and new services on the ground and in the air

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--OpenSkies, the transatlantic subsidiary of British Airways, is adding a new ‘Eco’ cabin class to its planes, offering more people access to a premium travel experience between New York-Newark and Paris-Orly. Other enhanced offerings include:

“The introduction of Eco class is the first of a long series of investments, on the ground and in the air, from which OpenSkies will benefit and which our passengers will undoubtedly be able to appreciate.”

• Individual iPads for passengers to enjoy 70 hours of onboard entertainment
• Access to British Airways business class check-in desks at New York-Newark
• Priority access through security checks for Prem Plus and Biz Bed passengers
• Access to the British Airways airport lounges at Orly and Newark for Biz Bed passengers.

New configuration, same spirit

Beginning June 19, 2012, OpenSkies will have a new three-class configuration on its planes. An ‘Eco’ class, available for booking today, will join the ‘Biz Bed’ and ‘Biz Seat’ classes, which will become ‘Prem Plus’. OpenSkies’ new ‘Eco’ class will be equipped with 66 leather seats. ‘Prem Plus’ (formally ‘Biz Seat’) will include 28 seats. ‘Biz Bed’, the business class cabin of OpenSkies, will continue to offer lie-flat seats in an exclusive 20 seat cabin.

“OpenSkies is a unique product on the market. The investments that we are announcing today aim to improve this airline so that it will be even closer to the expectations of our clients,” says Patrick Malval, Managing Director of OpenSkies. “The introduction of Eco class is the first of a long series of investments, on the ground and in the air, from which OpenSkies will benefit and which our passengers will undoubtedly be able to appreciate.”

A high-end airport experience

With a maximum of 114 passengers on board, all OpenSkies passengers will benefit from faster boarding procedures and individual iPads. Passengers will experience improved amenities on the ground at New York-Newark and Paris-Orly.

• At New York-Newark airport, all passengers will be able to check in at joint British Airways/OpenSkies and access priority lanes at security check points (‘Biz Bed’ and ‘Prem Plus’). Further, ‘Biz Bed’ passengers will benefit from the British Airways lounge and will have the option to dine before the flight to maximize their resting time while traveling.
• At Paris-Orly airport (West Terminal), investment will focus on improving services and a smoother passage through the terminal.

Advantages with the Executive Club

Members of the British Airways Executive Club loyalty program will benefit from their status while flying with OpenSkies. With each flight, Executive Club members accumulate Avios points that can be converted into flight tickets or upgrades.

Gold and Silver cardmembers can take advantage of their status to access airport lounges, no matter which class they are flying. They will have access to 70 British Airways lounges worldwide and more than 170 additional lounges from airlines in the oneworld alliance.

Notes

• The first OpenSkies B757 with the new three-class configuration will operate beginning June 19. The second will be operational from June 29.
• Reservations can be made on flyopenskies.com, as well as at all travel agencies and on ba.com.

About OpenSkies

OpenSkies is the premium transatlantic airline that offers guests superior service, competitive fares and exceptional value. OpenSkies currently flies from New York-Newark to Paris-Orly. A subsidiary of British Airways, OpenSkies is the first airline created as a result of the E.U. / U.S. Open Skies Agreement, which allows airlines to fly between any U.S. and E.U. destination. Since OpenSkies’ first flight, it has flown over 200,000 passengers. For more information about OpenSkies:visit www.flyopenskies.com or call 1-866-581-3596.