BA Transatlantic Business Airline

[Silverspoonaviator]

I see BA has had a great idea, to offer business and first flights from east coast to europe.

I am pleased to see BA is leading the pack, and has announced this policy before any one else thinks about it.

Business only crossing the pond.....what a great idea.......!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well done BA think tank...

ssa

[underread east]

What exactly do LH (using Privatair), Silverjet, Maxjet(defunct) Eos, and the French one who's name escapes me, do then??? BA are definitely NOT leading the pack on this.

[manintheback]

The answer is now out and BA are not offering a business only airline. 3 classes inclduing economy

"The business class cabin will have 24 seats that convert into 6’ flat beds. And when we say flat, we mean completely horizontal. This makes OpenSkies one of the only airlines in the market offering this feature. We will also offer 28 premium economy seats with a 52” seat pitch. This is also unique, redefining the premium economy class. Plus the comfortable 30 economy seats mean no more than 82 passengers will be on any given aircraft. It’s all part of our vision for a more personal flying experience."

almost as exclusive in the back as up front. Must be losts of empty space with that config?

[apaddyinuk]

www.flyopenskies.com

[MrSoft]

I wish I was more impressed. I can certainly see a gap for a Biz-only carrier with all the depth and comfort of full BA-backing. How hard can it be to create a Premium BA brand? What a mouth-watering idea! But the name:uhoh:, the cheap clip-art aircraft, the ghastly typography, LCC look and feel, planted comments . . . how could they get it so wrong?

It’s a shame that the messages that really matter about product are buried under this tragic ‘blog’. To be honest the whole thing looks more like a college project brainstorm. The whole “openness” USP is mystifying. Customers wish to be heard but when the CEO wants to “try (sic) new, inventive service ideas” with my money then it smacks of laziness. Get your product together, tell me where the value is, and promise to deliver it, but don’t use me as a guinea pig! How is this idea of product development through customer consultation really meant to work? They seem very pleased with themselves, that's the dominant tone; already I don't believe in them as listeners.

The business class cabin will have 24 seats that convert into 6’ flat beds. And when we say flat, we mean completely horizontal. This makes OpenSkies one of the only airlines in the market offering this feature. We will also offer 28 premium economy seats with a 52” seat pitch. This is also unique, redefining the premium economy class. Plus the comfortable 30 economy seats mean no more than 82 passengers will be on any given aircraft. It’s all part of our vision for a more personal flying experience.

I hope his old English teacher doesn’t see that. Was there nobody on hand, who could construct a basic set of claims with any clarity? “Moniker”? Is he trying to hang with da kidz? Before you call me a snob, think about the high-spending customer profile here; that sort of thing matters much more than they realise. Well, the product looks very interesting. Take the branding and the marketing, tear it up and start again.

[Sean Dell]

I wouldn't hold your breath guys - it's all smoke and mirrors. The current BA pilots will walk over this. Watch this space.:hmm:

[PAXboy]

BA want to create a new airline but, it seems, will not be BA. Rather, a wholly owned subsidiary and so things like FFM and EC tier points will not be earned on this new line and cannot be used to redeem flights.

This is a VERY bad time to start a new line, just as the Western economies are dipping down in the economic cycle. Also, it is curious that they are going for a 3-class layout and thus challenging ALL other legacy carriers AND the Biz only ones. I mean, if you are going to pick a fight, start when the economy is heading up and pick a niche - but don't take on every other airline between two countries that are not your own. AND don't do so in a way that is going to upset most of your existing staff. Except, of course, that if the pilots do not agree and the line cannot be launched: "Hey, don't blame Willie, it's all the pilot's fault."

The wed site make sit clear that they are still building and looking for ideas, personally, I think that is very poor PR. I don't want to know that they had an idea and now they are announcing it - BUT still recruiting 'Innovators wanted'. Well, you should have thought of that before you started a PR spoiling campaign about a paper airline.

In the last two or three years, I have often praised BA in these forums, as they downsized themselves in a strategic manner and avoided buying lame duck legacy carriers. With this one press release, I retract it all. This strikes me as a very silly and half backed idea. As other have said, details in the release are thin and it's all about spin. They have not yet recruited all the staff they need and yet they are announcing the result. My guess is that their AGM or some other big date for bonus payments is imminent!

It is interesting that the BA logotype symbol (the flying scarf :}) depicted at the rear of the fuselage, is 'back to front'. Yet, on the BA.com main page today, that is how it is shown. Perhaps they mean to show the difference between the two airlines by having this one go backwards?