Very Silly statement. Actually "AIRBUS", the people that make the aircraft does the maintenance on all Sky Bus aircraft. Uniforms cost lots of money. You want to pay for extravagant uniforms with your ticket?

Its a new business...most businesses don't make money in the 1st year. This airline has only been in bussiness for seven months jeez! Virgin America lost $35 million.

Are you aware of how ignorant you sound? People in this industry want cheap seats! Thats what sells in this industry!

The Skybus model does not attack major airlines on their home turf like Indy air did. They are bringing air travel to people that normally cannot afford to fly and air to towns that large airlines refuse to go to.

You complain about fairs being to high and then want first class service on a Boeing 747 from Columbus, Ohio to Cleveland, Ohio for no cost.

The Virgin business model will not work. High class service with low cost prices is a pardox that will not succeed. They are also taking on large carriers at their hubs. Thats an Indy air mistake. On the west coast UAL and SWA will make light work of Virgin. On the east coast Delta and Jetblue (if they survive without completely getting bought out) will brutillize Virgin here. That leaves the countries mid section in which American, NWA and UAL have got covered. What does customer base does that leave? Midsized cities and mid to low income families in which I believe Virgins cost structure will not support for long because of their high cost high maintainence product.

Other airlines can compete with SkyBus but can not do it rapidly eg. Continental Light and United's Shuttle taking on Southwest airlines. By the time they shuffle to react to SkyBus it will be too late.

Now people complain about SkyBus charging for everything...I ask you to think...If you bring a bag or want to eat on another airline you pay for it on the ticket price. If you don't bring a bag or don't eat on another airline...you pay for it! On SkyBus if you don't bring a bag or want to eat you don't pay for it! Small airports= less time waiting for bags, smaller security lines, less time taxiing on the tarmac and less time in the rental car center.


Flame Away:D

Again, give it time. We'll see.

Indy's mistake was was having a RASM below their CASM. In fact I belive in their final months of operation at the fares they were charging they needed 125% capacity to break even. Does anyone have RASM and CASM data for Skybus? This airline will not last, I am always in favor of seeing lower fares but not at the expense of such extreme cuts in customer service.

At least Indy still had good customer service. They are the only airline that has provided hot towel service in coach on a RJ!!!

You say "Small airports= less time waiting for bags, smaller security lines, less time taxiing on the tarmac and less time in the rental car center." So how much extra time is spent driving to the city you actually need to go to. I realize they actually do fly to some good airports but others are a joke. Bellingham Washington should in no way be called Seattle or Vancouver. At one point this summer they were trying to promote travel to DC via Richmond. :confused: Thats a good 2 hour drive with no traffic.....and there is ALWAYS traffic on 95.

Skybus adds more new routes coming soon
 

Hi all,

I have heard from Skybus has adds more new routes from CMH-IAG & ILG and GSO-ILG & GYY.

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live...6.html?sid=101

You will wait to see more official news releases next week. You will see more new nonstop from CMH & GSO. Thanks all! :)

It seems to me that if Skybus keeps adding new routes, they must be following adequate demand. At least in GSO, airline officials have been meeting with local business professionals and have been bullish about the bookings they are seeing and the demand they are responding to. While Im still wondering myself if the loads demonstrated by fares on their web site are worth anything, the airline must be seeing increased demand and interest to add these routes!

Here's an interesting Skybus trip report: click here

Sadly, no one reports the positive experiences they have with the airline. And there must be enough of them for people to keep booking with Skybus!

I actually booked my first (and, given the weakness of their business plan, probably last) Skybus ticket. $10 of course. Are there any stats about their actual performance -- like on-time percentage? My recollection is that small carriers are excluded from the reporting requirements. Does there website have accurate, real-time flight status info? My expectations are low, so if they're reasonably on-time, I'll be happy.

More than likely, you'll be pleased...the majority of their flights operate without a hitch and quite full at least ex-GSO. It's the odd IROP that gets media and public attention unfortunately.

On another note, it looks like SX pulled all of their Wednesday flights GSO-BUR...was this poor loads or as a result of fuel prices?

That's certainly encouraging. Thanks!

Do they report their actual on-time stats anywhere? If they were good, you would think they'd voluntarily report to comfort those of us who might be skeptical of their airline.

The overall experience is just like Southwest...cheery crew, nice planes, and cost-conscious pricing. The only difference is that this is a young airline so a few hiccups plus the a la carte pricing (in a way similar to Air Canada's efforts to unbundle services) with bag check fees, early boarding fees, food/drinks for sale, etc. I think the market is responding negatively because $10 seems like too much of a loss-making fare (which it is) and they think all seats are so cheap so they must be cutting somewhere. Let us know how your flights go!

Ive booked Jacksonville/Daytona, Burbank, Newburgh/Stewart, and Gulfport/Biloxi from GSO and have no qualms at all. Enjoy a nice restaurant dinner when you get wherever youre going since you'll be saving so much money on airfare!

Thanks. I actually used to live in the GSO area and would have been all over these deals. I found GSO a nice place to live, but (for the East Coast) it seemed far from everything. The ability to travel for $20 roundtrip -- on nonstops no less -- would have been very appealing. And I would be taking great immediate advantage of it. If history repeats itself, low fare service out of GSO won't last!