British Airways’ OpenSkies to shut down in 2018

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British Airways’ OpenSkies to shut down in 2018 | Secret Flying

British Airways has confirmed it is shutting down its boutique airline, OpenSkies, in September 2018.

 

OpenSkies, the transatlantic airline owned by International Airlines Group (IAG), will cease to operate after September 2018.

 

British Airways launched the boutique airline in 2008 taking advantage of the United States’ “open skies” treaty with the EU, which allows European carriers to fly to any point in the US from anywhere in Europe.

 

The airline currently operates between Paris-Orly Airport in France and both Newark Liberty International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport in the United States.

 

The airline’s main selling point is that it offers an attractively priced Business Class and Premium Economy product (with a small Economy section) on a narrow-body Boeing 757.

 

The move to shut down OpenSkies will allow Level, the Spanish low-cost virtual airline, to take the abandoned slots at Paris Orly airport and use it as its second base.

 

All OpenSkies staff will be transferred to Level.

 

“We’re delighted to launch flights from our second European city with four exciting new routes,” IAG Chief Executive Willie Walsh said in a statement, adding that Level “will benefit from the local experience and knowledge of the OpenSkies team.”