Skybus CEO first one to bail out of sinking ship

[redbook]

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/03/24/skybus_ceo.html?sid=101


Go Jet guys: Some time the easy way, ain't the easy way.

 

[Flash]

Diffenderffer is stepping aside to return to writing books, a career he left in 2005 when he joined Skybus

What was he writing, Fairy Tales?

 

[Fins Up]

Was he cast aside as a scapegoat or did he realize this operation is going nowhere?

 

[labbats]

Yeah, but they've got tons of orders for more planes!

 

[CitationUltra]

Diffenderffer is stepping aside to return to writing books, a career he left in 2005 when he joined Skybus

What was he writing, Fairy Tales?

He was probably frustrated at trying to overcome the basic laws of economics. He was replaced by a bean counter, and as a general rule, they don't understand economics either, so bottom line: Ultimately another casualty of the failed "pricing below cost" model.

 

[Fubijaakr]

The rats are always the first to abandon sinking ships.

 

[CitationUltra]

The rats are always the first to abandon sinking ships.

That's often true, but in fairness to the departing CEO, it is plausible that his departure may have been due to the inability of anyone to make a success of this questionable business model, i.e., trying to be the "cheapest" in an industry already decimated by "cheapness".

 

[Kharma Police]

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/03/24/skybus_ceo.html?sid=101


Go Jet guys: Some time the easy way, ain't the easy way.

I wonder if the self described "Samurai" CEO is going to kill himself for his dishonorable failure.

 

[IronCityBlue]

I wonder if the self described "Samurai" CEO is going to kill himself for his dishonorable failure.

:laugh: Nah, he just wanted to get some larger airplane manager time on his resume and move on to greener pastures.

He found an industry where someone was already making a pizza so cheap nobody would buy it and made it cheaper.

They're not out of business yet, but now should be the time when every airline picks one or two of their routes and buries them. That experiment can not be allowed to succeed.

 

[spinproof]

I wonder if the self described "Samurai" CEO is going to kill himself for his dishonorable failure.

No just like a bad Jackie Chan Movie there will be sequels. CEO's never die they just smell that way!

 

[Colonel Savage]

Diffenderffer is stepping aside to return to writing books, a career he left in 2005 when he joined Skybus

What was he writing, Fairy Tales?

Tales of the Samuri Dry Cleaners

 

[Colonel Savage]

...but now should be the time when every airline picks one or two of their routes and buries them.

I don't think that's possible (or needed), as most of their "cities" don't have terminals.

OK, they have tents at some.

 

[ICAO]

I TOLD you sooooo

Been there and done that.....all the Skybus managment team sucks.....they need to kill the Irish MORON next...ex-Ryan. Mike doesn't know ******************** about airline....he is a kid...sadly..this will look great on this looser resume. SINKING OF SKYBUS. Mike dont say WE didn't tell you and Bill...at the meeting.

For the pilots...get out will you can.

Regards from overseas.

 

[climbhappy]

there is an old adage in business: beware of your bean counter: he may save you into bankruptsy.

 

[btodd77]

The CEO was asked to bring his own water to work as it was to expensive to keep his cubicle fridge stocked......

 

[Hung Start]

The quote in six months will be:

"I started and ran a very successful airline. I left and look what they did. They ran it into the ground. It wasn't like that when I was there."

Classic. Get out before the final bell, then blame everybody else.

There will be no falling on the sword for this guy.

Hung

 

[Guitar Guy]

Any Skybus pilots want to chime in with their opinion on the article?

 

[fly4funcrj]

They can't.. they are at costco buying water

 

[boulevard]

With oil at record levels shouldn't you all be worried about your individual careers rather than Skybus. Seriously, how much competition or threat is Skybus to you?

 

[clickclickboom]

Diffenderfer was writing a childrens book one day when it hit him like a tons of fried chicken. This magical story is called


" SCHOOL BUS "

Jed was a smalltown boy with dreams but he lived in a trailer park just outside of the normal school bus area. The school board decided that the children in the fantasy creek trailer park should be able to have all the advantages of the other children around town so they went to the families and told them that for $10 the bus would pick them up every day. Jeds parents not wanting to drop unlimited nascar on demand programming told jed that they didnt have the money and he would have to walk to school. Day and night Jed walked to school until one night when he had a dream about a magical plane that would swoop him up and fly him to magical places like Punta Gorda and Gary Indiana. Jed reached in his pocket and found $10 in change and a huge magic marker. When the big fast shiny plane landed in his backyard next to dads 78 monte carlo. He went over to the plane with his marker and crossed out school and in big fancy letters wrote skybus ..Jeds dreams came true and so can yours.

 

[Shrek]

With oil at record levels shouldn't you all be worried about your individual careers rather than Skybus. Seriously, how much competition or threat is Skybus to you?

or Aww cmon guys stop pickin on me?!

You were the last guy on the Kickball team that got picked weren't chya?!

Man up - you gambled and LOST. It is just a matter of time before it is a done deal.

 

[samballs]

With oil at record levels shouldn't you all be worried about your individual careers rather than Skybus. Seriously, how much competition or threat is Skybus to you?

Your pay at Skybus is less than some make at regionals. People aren't worried about the competition, we're worried about management realizing there are people out there like yourself that are willing to work for nothing. They already realize pilots will bend over for them, but a lot still aren't willing to take the face shot.

What will the pilots that were saying "I need to take this job to put food on the table" (while other airlines were hiring) say when this airline folds. Seems like a bad choice, you took bad pay and eventually will not have a job again. Way to put food on the table..

 

[Jimmy C. Corn]

Is part of the Skybus salary in stock?

Can they sell the stock immediately?

 

[johnny taliban]

stock

it is probably stock OPTIONS which are pretty much worthless if the stock price doesn't reach a certain amount

 

[Draginass]

How much did the CEO loot the company for before he jumped in the lifeboat?

 

[Correcting]

t is probably stock OPTIONS which are pretty much worthless if the stock price doesn't reach a certain amount

The stock options are especially worthless when the company isn't even a public company, and therefore has no stock available to buy or sell.

 

[hockeypilot44]

What's second year pay over there? Don't most major airlines start off at $30-$50 per hour?

 

[imacdog]

clickclick is that a Hostetler, Nosen, or another one?

 

[climbhappy]

from what i've been told, there is no second year pay which is why they were looking at teamsters. the options are worthless unless it is taken public. you know they're looking at their options. what good pilot wouldn't have a good alternate and a second one. give them some credit and a break. they did get a type, though.

 

[hockeypilot44]

Wow. Why would anyone take a job there where the first officers max out at probationary pay at other airlines, and the captains max out at regional pay? I don't feel bad for them. Disgraceful. Whatever happened to having pride in what you do?