Last week, the Telegraph reported that the British discount airline is exploring a new "vertical seat" option on its B737-800 craft and that Boeing would begin safety testing next year. However, the BBC quotes Boeing spokesman Nick West as denying this. "Among other things, stringent regulatory requirements—including seats capable of withstanding a force of 16 Gs (16 times the force of gravity)—pretty much preclude such an arrangement," says West.

Furthermore, numerous media outlets have dismissed the announcement as yet another publicity stunt carried out by the airline's eccentric PR team. Already Ryanair has announced plans to charge £1 for use of the bathroom onboard, however the "pay toilets" have yet to materialize on any flights. If the new idea is developed and introduced to the market, however, 15 rows of "vertical seats" would replace 10 rows of standard seats for a cost of £4 and £8 per person. Ally Miola

"The trans-Atlantic joint venture has been strengthened by the arrival of Alitalia, which adds the Italian market, the third biggest in Europe, to the JV and also gives it access to the Rome-Fiumicino hub," said Air France-KLM CEO Pierre-Henri Gourgeon. "The Italian airline, a SkyTeam member, is a strategic partner of Air France-KLM with which it already has joint venture agreements on its Italy-France and Italy-Netherlands routes. It is therefore natural that this successful partnership should continue with Alitalia's participation in the trans-Atlantic JV."

Rome joins Amsterdam, Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, New York-JFK and Paris-CDG as the core hubs of the joint venture, with additional trans-Atlantic service from Cincinnati, Milan Malpensa, Memphis and Salt Lake City. AM

To help alleviate any misgivings travelers may have while making a booking along the U.S. Gulf coastline, Marriott International has come up with a Marriott Beach Guarantee. Through Labor Day, participating hotels will offer a hotel credit, valued at 50 percent of the room rate, to individual business and leisure guests who choose to stay for each day the beach is officially closed. Additionally, guests may cancel advance purchase reservations for a full refund if the beach is closed during their stay. For more information, visit marriot.com. AM

Customers can take advantage of this paper-free boarding pass by checking in for their flight at aa.com, opting to receive their boarding pass on their mobile device and then retrieving an e-mail with an Internet link to the boarding pass. AM

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
OpenSkies' check-in at Dulles is next to the British Airways counter in the main terminal. With no line and two waiting agents, I was checked into my flight within 90 seconds—faster than self-check-in.

Washington Dulles' new security checkpoint represents a major improvement, and thanks to priority lines, I was cleared within 15 minutes. OpenSkies passengers traveling in both Biz Bed and Biz Seat are welcomed at the new British Airways Galleries lounge in Concourse B. A wide, curved, all-glass wall provides an open panorama over the entire terminal, allowing plenty of natural light, while providing privacy. Free, roaming Wi-Fi was strong and reliable, and power strips offered British, American and European outlets. Food offerings ranged from British biscuits, crackers and cheese, to tea sandwiches and plentiful fresh fruit, in addition to a fully-stocked bar.

BOARDING
We boarded from Concourse A on time. As the flight was less than half-full, boarding took less than five minutes, and the flight was merged with the Newark-Paris flight, leading to a brief stop in Newark. For this small inconvenience, OpenSkies upgraded all Washington passengers to Biz Beds in the front of the plane. Immediately after I stowed my bag and sat down, a flight attendant offered me a choice of orange juice, sparkling water or Champagne. All passengers were offered a basket of inflight amenities. The cabin was tastefully decorated with black-and-white photographs of Paris hung in silver frames, as well as seat guards in the signature lavender color of OpenSkies.

SEAT COMFORT
OpenSkies' Boeing 757-200 offers a 2-2 configuration for 16 full rows of business class, divided between Biz Beds and Biz Seats for a total of up to 72 seats. Biz Beds are placed in a forward- and backward-facing arrangement—I was seated in 3F and faced backwards. My seat was both large and comfortable at 20 inches wide, with an impressive 73-inch pitch. The bed reclined 180 degrees, to just over 6 feet in length.

THE FLIGHT
We left Washington, D.C. on time, but were delayed after picking up the passengers in Newark. By far one of the best aspects of the flight was the four-course dinner service, beginning with a gourmet chicken salad starter and followed by seared flatiron beef, with celery-root mashed potatoes and beets, topped with lightly-breaded French-fried onions. The meal was cooked and served at the right temperature. A carefully chosen cheese plate, followed by a quality piece of strawberry cheesecake, was decadent without feeling heavy. Wine choices included a 2007 Joseph Mellot Sancerre, a 2004 Saint Estèphe l'Argilus du Roi, and chilled Laurent-Perrier Brut Champagne.

I was able to work inflight, thanks to AC power outlets at each seat and the noise-canceling headphones offered to each passenger. The private video entertainment systems were small, but self-programming and allowed a broad choice of recently released films. I chose instead to bed down with my full duvet, light blanket and soft, full-width pillow. Skipping the breakfast service permitted me at least six hours of sleep. I awoke to the captain's announcement that we had begun our descent into Paris.

ARRIVAL
Due to the unscheduled pickup in Newark and an extended flight pattern caused by the still-present ash cloud over the North Atlantic, our OpenSkies flight landed in Paris over three-and-a-half hours late. Clearing customs and immigration was simple, and by taking the RER train into the city, I was at the Jardin du Luxembourg less than an hour after landing.

VERDICT
My OpenSkies' experience was not without a few hiccups attributed to this being the first week of the new route. The delay was unfortunate, but apparently an outlier in OpenSkies' above-average record for on-time arrivals. Food and service were both commendable, and my six hours of uninterrupted sleep is a testament to the overall quality of the flight experience. For that reason alone, I recommend travelers opt for the fully-horizontal Biz Bed.

Overall, the OpenSkies all-business-class flight offers business travelers a very competitive price for high-quality service and with far fewer fellow passengers—a scenario that automatically corrects so many of the ills of long-haul travel. With the efficient connections available in France, I see this particular flight becoming a mainstay for business travelers between continental Europe and the American capital.

— Andrew Evans