British Airways to buy French airline
July 3, 2008
British Airways (BA) is buying a private French airline for £54m. The airline - L’Avion - is being bought as part of BA’s plans to boost the number of flights between France and the US following the passing of the liberalisation of transatlantic air travel.
BA have launched their ‘OpenSkies’ department to take advantage of the treaty which allows airlines to fly from any European country not just the country they are based in. OpenSkies launched its maiden flight from Paris last month.
L’Avion flies two Boeing 757 planes between Paris’ Orly airport and Newark airport in New Jersey. This will add to Open Skies already existing daily flights between Orly and JFK airport in New York.
Chief executive of British Airways, Willie Walsh said “L’Avion is a successful airline that has built up a premium business between Orly and New York in a relatively short period of time. It has many synergies with OpenSkies, and buying it provides OpenSkies with a larger schedule and an established customer base in the Paris-New York market.”
Chritsophe Bejach, the co-founder and chairman of L’Avion said “We are happy to merge our operation with OpenSkies. This transaction will strengthen our current base… Our staff will benefit from the ambition and recognised expertise of the buyer and our customers will have access to an even better service.”
L’Avion is the last remaining business class only carrier after Silverjet, Eos and MAXjet Airways all went under. OpenSkies 757 jetliner has 52 premium seats and only 30 economy seats and BA are also planning a business class only service from London to New York next year.
See www.britishairways.com for more information on the airline.
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