BA to Acquire L’Avion, Merge with OpenSkies

British Airways announced an agreement to acquire French airline L’Avion and integrate the company with its subsidiary OpenSkies, which recently launched daily flights between Paris Orly Airport and New York John F. Kennedy Airport. L’Avion operates two Boeing 757 aircraft between Paris Orly and Newark Airport.

The combined airline will operate up to three daily flights between Paris Orly and the New York area using Boeing 757 aircraft. The value of the acquisition is Euro 68 million, which covers the purchase of the airline and Euro 33 million of cash in its business.

Once the two airlines are integrated, customers can expect to experience benefits that will further improve the Paris – New York offering, including an increased schedule and BA Executive Club privileges.

OpenSkies and L’Avion currently operate a codeshare with L’Avion selling seats on OpenSkies flights. L’Avion has accommodated more than 65,000 customers since its start on Jan. 3, 2007. The airline has experienced steadily increasing load factors since launch and consistently outperformed its business plan objectives.

L’Avion’s configuration of 2x2 seats offers a wide central aisle and a spacious feeling. OpenSkies has no more than 82 passengers and three cabins, BIZ, a business class service featuring the only fully lie-flat beds on the Paris-New York route.