CMH-based Skybus
#361




Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: BDL
Programs: NWA Platinum, HHonors Diamond, SPG, YX, AA
Posts: 5,354
#362
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend




Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Rapids Reward
Posts: 40,088
#363


Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,651
I can see Virgin America buying them, for some reason.
#364
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend




Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Rapids Reward
Posts: 40,088
I don't see anything more logical choice VX wants buying with other airlines. I think VX is considered to keep it the name for a long time instead of merger with other airlines. I don't think if they will not able merge with them. That's is good options if VX will merge with B6 some more reasonable.
#365
Join Date: May 2008
Programs: Delta SkyMiles Platinum
Posts: 5
Sprit vs SkyBus

This is definitely a good model for low cost carriers, I would expect Spirit (who I believe is profitable) to try and match that part of the model.
#366
Join Date: May 2008
Programs: Delta SkyMiles Platinum
Posts: 5
It's incorrect to compare Skybus with Ryanair, who they only took a few elements of the business model from - and the wrong elements.
Ryanair, after a false start with commuter prop aircraft which nearly finished them off, got going on London to Dublin, a trunk route which was already one of the largest city pairs in Europe, with regulated service, high prices, and many passengers forced by price to use an inconvenient rail/ship surface route. What an opportunity. And they started with cheap jet aircraft leased from Romania, moving on to still well-used 737-200s. Growth was steady and only as funds became available from other operations. Only in recent years, once their brand image became well established with substantial growth of the business have they moved on to new aircraft.
Skybus on the other hand started off on city pairs previously unserved (previously unserved for a very good reason of course), running on investors money rather than generated funds, and with all the costs of brand new aircraft from day one. Quite different.
Ryanair, after a false start with commuter prop aircraft which nearly finished them off, got going on London to Dublin, a trunk route which was already one of the largest city pairs in Europe, with regulated service, high prices, and many passengers forced by price to use an inconvenient rail/ship surface route. What an opportunity. And they started with cheap jet aircraft leased from Romania, moving on to still well-used 737-200s. Growth was steady and only as funds became available from other operations. Only in recent years, once their brand image became well established with substantial growth of the business have they moved on to new aircraft.
Skybus on the other hand started off on city pairs previously unserved (previously unserved for a very good reason of course), running on investors money rather than generated funds, and with all the costs of brand new aircraft from day one. Quite different.
What's interesting is that even though they had new/newer planes, their turn around times were bad. It's all about butts in seats, and they were planning on 30 minute turnaround times because of the newer planes (no maintenance, fewer mechanical irops). I mean if you looked at the schedule for a single plane in a day it looked crazy.
#367
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: May 2002
Location: NC
Programs: AAConciergeKey/2MM, DL DM/2MM, UA Gold,Hilton Diamond,IHG Diamond, Hyatt Globalist,Marriott Titanium
Posts: 13,224
What's interesting is that people complained about paying to check a bag, and now legacies are following suit with AA charging for the first bag!
#368
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 27
I was able to get refunds on 100% of my Skybus flights, about $400 bucks.
Amex was easy, but I bought two tickets through ING Direct with my debit card and suprisingly they refunded my money too !! I guess they wanted to keep me a happy customer !
-KEn
Amex was easy, but I bought two tickets through ING Direct with my debit card and suprisingly they refunded my money too !! I guess they wanted to keep me a happy customer !
-KEn

