More in Open Skies

Though the Japanese government has moved toward aviation market liberalization over the past year, evidenced most prominently by the new US/Japan "open skies" air services accord, Tokyo will need to go further if Japan's airports are to remain competitive in attracting international air cargo traffic, several observers of the Japanese air transport market said....More

The US and Laos yesterday signed a comprehensive open skies agreement to expand and liberalize their bilateral civil aviation relationship. The US has reached open skies agreements with nearly 100 countries....More

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EU and Canada Wednesday signed a far-reaching open skies agreement under which airlines from each side may operate freely without any restrictions on the number of carriers or flights between any airport in the EU and any in Canada. Agreement contains provisions for a phased easing of restrictions on control and ownership of carriers, leading to the right to set up airlines in the territory of the other party in the third phase and the right to own and control 100% of a foreign carrier in the fourth phase. "This will generate major benefits for consumers and airlines. ....More

OpenSkies completed its merger with L'Avion, the French all-business-class airline it acquired last summer (ATWOnline, July 3, 2008). The merged carrier's operating certificate now will be located in France, resulting in a headquarters relocation to Paris Orly. EC's Dale Moss will remain MD and former L'Avion CEO Marc Rochet will be executive VP....More

British Airways' transatlantic subsidiary OpenSkies will operate its first daily Paris Orly-New York JFK flight on June 19 with one-way fares starting at $1,746 in business class, $720 in its Prem+ premium economy and $554 in economy, it announced yesterday as tickets went on sale. Each 757 frequency will have no more than 82 passengers onboard. Its Biz business class will feature lie-flat beds while Prem+ offers reclining seats at 52-in. pitch. There will be 30 seats in economy....More

The open skies treaty between the EU and US that takes effect at the end of this month might better have been called the "Open Heathrow" treaty, since that is where 99% of the action is taking place, with five new entrants set to begin serving the airport come April 1. That Heathrow should be the vortex of activity is not surprising given that for the purposes of the US-UK market it has been closed to all but four airlines for decades. Plus, as Senior Editor and Europe Bureau Chief Cathy Buyck notes in her fine feature beginning on p....More

OpenSkies, British Airways' new transatlantic subsidiary, will operate its first flight between either Paris Charles de Gaulle or Orly and New York JFK, BA said in a filing and application for traffic rights with the US Dept. of Transportation. It also had considered Brussels as an initial European gateway (ATWOnline, Feb. 7). OpenSkies will fly with both the BA and its own EC code and plans to launch service in June....More

British Airline Pilots' Assn. yesterday reiterated that it will not accept any kind of outsourcing at British Airways and stressed its readiness to strike if the carrier goes ahead with its plans to recruit non BA-crew for its new OpenSkies subsidiary, which will operate flights between mainland Europe and the US....More

British Airways CEO Willie Walsh does not expect the first stage of EU-US open skies, set to take effect at the end of March, to have a major impact. "I expect nothing radical and nothing like the predictions of [European Commissioner of Transport Jacques] Barrot," he said at the Routes Leaders Forum in Stockholm. He foresees a move of some capacity from London Gatwick to London Heathrow, but nothing far-reaching and nothing that will cause BA to lose significant transatlantic market share....More

Lufthansa CEO Wolfgang Mayrhuber told ATWOnline that his company is keeping a close watch on the sales and consolidation rumors circulating through Europe, especially those involving Iberia and Alitalia, but that it will err on the side of caution regarding its own involvement. "Both carriers would theoretically fit us," he said aboard a flight from Munich to Busan last week. "But conditions have to be proper, otherwise one can get into financial difficulties."...More

Bmi has not decided whether it will expand its transatlantic service from London Heathrow when open skies takes effect next year. "Much will depend on aircraft availability, on market possibilities and on partnerships," Commercial Director Adrian Parkes told ATWOnline while in Brussels to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the carrier's Belgian service. "Of course we have the desire to go for it as soon as we are ready." Bmi will be looking to add new long-haul aircraft if it opts to enhance its US operation. It currently has no orders or options for such aircraft....More