New US Startup Orders 65 Airbuses

[F9 Buff]

Any way to slap the person who decided to put 150 seats in an A319?

All of us at Skybus love what is at the heart of the airline business — flying people from where they are to where they want to go. But there are a few things we don’t love about it, namely:

• High fares
• Connecting flights through busy airports
• Uncomfortable, small regional airplanes
• Late arrivals
• Lost bags
• Unfriendly service

We have a plan to change all of that. And we have quite a few people, both investors and employees, who have a lot invested in believing we can change it. The plan is simple — to give you, the traveler, what you want. Which is why with Skybus, you’ll get:

• Really low fares
• Nonstop service to major destinations
• New 150-seat jet aircraft
• On-time arrivals
• Luggage that arrives when you do
• A smile

 

[dav8or]

AW had a hub in CMH and pulled.

 

[Clark W.]

Any way to slap the person who decided to put 150 seats in an A319?


http://www.skybus.com/images/header_skybusStory.gif
All of us at Skybus love what is at the heart of the airline business — flying people from where they are to where they want to go. But there are a few things we don’t love about it, namely:

• High fares
• Connecting flights through busy airports
• Uncomfortable, small regional airplanes
• Late arrivals
• Lost bags
• Unfriendly service

We have a plan to change all of that. And we have quite a few people, both investors and employees, who have a lot invested in believing we can change it. The plan is simple — to give you, the traveler, what you want. Which is why with Skybus, you’ll get:

• Really low fares
• Nonstop service to major destinations
• New 150-seat jet aircraft
• On-time arrivals
• Luggage that arrives when you do
• A smile

Don't forget

Your airplane is painted School Bus Yellow to go with the theme. A "Stop" sign that extends out of the side of the fuselage as you board/deplane the aircraft on the tarmac of CMH. 2x2 bench seating, covered with hard plastic and slide down windows.....but rememeber, never go below the black lines!
And while boarding, remember. We take exact change. Pilots cannot make change.

 

[F9 Buff]

The 319s at Frontier hold 132 pax... After looking up some info about the 319 I found this.

"High density single class layout can seat 142 passengers."

So where are they putting that extra row and a half?

They finally putting people underneath? If I remember correctly, the aft bin uses the same air as that in the cabin... Animals seem to ride back there with no problem, why not throw some seats back in there?

 

[:-)]

Airlines with a strong, defensable route structure make money. Airlines with low costs may, or may not, make money. If Skybus intends to make money, they will have to identify an underserved market and proceed to serve said market before a strong competitor enters that market. I don't know if CMH is underserved, or not, but I doubt that it has the potential to provide feed for 65 Airbii, so there's so got to be more to this picture. If their business plan calls for feeding 65 A319's with CMH O&D pax, they're doomed to fail.

NO, I don't have an application on file with Skybus. No bus rating in my pocket, and I think that I'd rather go with Allegiant if I felt like taking a gamble on a startup carrier.

I'm

 

[Quack]

AWA has flights to PHX and LAS from CMH

 

[buxflyr]

Poorly worded. I know that SWA is already there (see earlier post). My point is that if such a great market existed, SWA would be all over it, along with JBlu and AT.

JetBlue is in Columbus, too.

CMH has been underserved for a long time...mainly to west coast and vacation destinations via non-stop. This is the plan of action for Skybus. Also, Columbus is a huge retail market. Abercrombie and Fitch's main headquarters, Nationwide Insurance main headquarters, Max and Erma's, and several others that I cant remember....some of you may know more. Before now, it was a connect only option to get to the business centers of the west coast.

AWA didnt really have a true hub in CMH. PHX and LAS were the only longer range destinations served non-stop.

This is not just another startup. There is money in the bank, they have been planning for the last 5+ yrs, and the A/C order from Airbus is one of the largest they have ever received from a startup. They will start with 4 leased a/c in the spring, and begin receiving deliveries in 2008. This gives the business plan time to be implemented on a schedule, not just throwing 30 planes onto routes. Also...look at the A/C that was selected. This is an A-319, not an A380. 142 seats? Perfect for a market of this size. My guess would be that the previous 150 seat ad was when they were considering the 737NG.

 

[LabMonkey76]

My comments making fun of payrates earlier were totally unfounded, anybody know what they will actually pay? Or have a link to a website that does?

 

[minrest]

buxflyr;

When you state the CMH is an underserved market, what do you base this on? Actual numbers or that "it would be nice" to have service to the West Coast?

Columbus is not a very large market and it is already served by every major plus a few LCC's. What's underserved by it?

 

[Publishers]

Columbus itself is not a bad market because of the road system and population with an hours drive. In any city like this, there are always some direct markets that can be filled. The problem is more building a route system where the incumbant is not where they can kill you off before you get started. Secondly, after you fly that desirable morning departure to Washington or NY or where ever, heh, what do we do with that airplane now.
What do we do with that aircraft when that CMH to FLL flight in winter becomes empty in summer.
This is no easy venture.