British Airways has obtained approval from the US department of transportation for the operation of flights to the country from anywhere in the EU.

The flights will be able to take place from March next year, when the open skies pact comes into full force.

It is thought that the airline will use the approval to establish direct business class-only flights to destinations such as New York from cities including Paris, Milan and Frankfurt, reports Business Travel News Online.

"We are looking extremely seriously at the launch of new services from the US to major business centres in continental Europe," British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh told the BritishAmerican Business forum in New York last week.

Virgin Atlantic announced earlier this year that it intends to begin business class-only flights within the next 18 months.

Established players in the business class airline market include Silverjet and Eos Airlines.

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