OpenSkies Free Ticket Deal (and About Open Skies)

Saturday June 21, 2008

Interesting promotion from interesting new airline OpenSkies, a British Airways subsidiary: a free companion ticket for NYC-Paris with the purchase of a full-fare premium class ticket (and plus $166 in taxes and fees on the free ticket). You're thinking: "Yeah, but premium cla$$?!" However, with student airfares rocketing this summer alongside everyone else's, the math's not that bad: $1656 for the first passenger, plus $166 (taxes and fees) for the second = / 2 = $911 each. Typical student airfare to Paris right now: $900-$1319.

And yes, you'd be flying premium class -- if you've only flown ~~steerage~~ economy, you'll be stunned at how much sweeter chilling for several inflight hours is when done in a big, comfortable seat in which one can recline politely, as in without looking up the nose hairs of the passenger behind one -- or, if the passenger in front's fully flopped back in ignorance of airplane etiquette, your knees will be safe (that's an OpenSkies plane seat on the right).

Perhaps a parent might be interested in splitting the diff (you can always go your separate ways once you hit the City of Light). Learn more about the OpenSkies deal (buy by June 27 for travel by August 31):

OpenSkies Free Companion Ticket Promotion (use OpenSkies promo code LAUNCHCOMP)

What is the Open Skies Agreement?

I've been watching what's up with this new airline for a while now, wondering how operations, which started June 19, would go: the interesting part about OpenSkies is it's namesake, the recent open skies agreement between the US and EU (European Union) under which OpenSkies is operating which is allowing more freedom in transatlantic air traffic; until now, tight regulatory limitations have limited US-EU traffic -- British Airways (OpenSkies' parent), for instance, has been allowed to fly nonstop only between the UK (United Kingdom) and the US, as has Virgin, American and United (OpenSkies airline flies New York-Paris for now). The US has also recently reached an open skies agreement with Australia -- this means you may have more choices than Qantas (though as one of the friendliest airlines around, Qantas will always be a good choice for the 13+ hour trip down under).

As more airlines set up routes under the open skies agreement, more flights and routes will certainly mean more flexibility for you, and perhaps better prices as competition increases -- Continental, for instance, plans a Houston-London route, and budget European airline king, Ryanair, says it's opening a new arm, RyanAtlantic, with transatlantic flights from €10 (that's not a typo). Australia and the EU have reportedly just agreed to launch negotiations regarding a similar open skies agreement -- that could be huge to you if it transpires.

Learn more about the US Open Skies agreements

_{Photo © OpenSkies}

(I missed this cool OpenSkies airline promotion until recently, and found it through a cool forum I remember to check in with only when I get motivated to try and figure out what might be going with my frequent flyer miles: Flyertalk.com, which is packed with tips, tricks and FAq's for frequent flyers -- check it out.)

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