Skybus--hahaha

[Truckdriver]

Just browsing the Skybus site to see what's up over there.

Looks like 156 seats on a 319. That will be some great leg-room.

The website also says you cannot "sneak" food onto the airplane. So I would assume that food on the plane will be movie theater priced. I wonder what they will do if you break out a granola bar.

The website also says not to call them because they don't have a phone number. There also won't be many agents at the airport to help out.

$5 per bag unless it's heavy, then it will cost you $25.

Drinks, snacks, pillows, and blankets will all cost you extra.

All this with a hub-and-spoke system based in CMH leads me to think that they won't be much of a threat in the U.S.

 

[Headfake14]

...I have no comment on SkyBush...

 

[mannyaplus11]

I can't wait for the first ACLU lawsuit filed by someone with Low Blood Sugar that has to eat at certain times, and some F/A tries to take their food away.

Some good times coming up.

 

[twepilot]

I'll give them 3 days of ops...

RV

 

[Fins Up]

Those are some fine customer services ideas they have there. Can't bring my own snack or drink on?? What a crock of sh1t. I know people are cheap but I'd rather pay an extra $5 or so for my ticket and not have to be nickel and dimed with this crap.

 

[skypine69]

Yeah I call BS on not being able bring your own food on. number one, no pax will actually read that page on the website, so it will be customer service nitemare for the FA. sorry sir you cant have that sandwich you brought on...didnt you read the rules on the chalkboard? well ok, this time but next time I have to take it away. what a crock! and like the other guy said, what if you have someone that needs to eat for medical reasons? what about babies? are they going to sell breast milk? (yeah i said breast) i cant see this lasting very long in its current form.

 

[Heavy Set]

Yeah I call BS on not being able bring your own food on. number one, no pax will actually read that page on the website, so it will be customer service nitemare for the FA. sorry sir you cant have that sandwich you brought on...didnt you read the rules on the chalkboard? well ok, this time but next time I have to take it away. what a crock! and like the other guy said, what if you have someone that needs to eat for medical reasons? what about babies? are they going to sell breast milk? (yeah i said breast) i cant see this lasting very long in its current form.

The FA's will be strict because they actually get a percentage of onboard sales of food. Their pay increases if you are hungry. That means they could be very strict. Apparently they are only paid $8 an hour, and those sales add to that.

 

[Fins Up]

Apparently they are only paid $8 an hour, and those sales add to that.

Surely you can't be surious. $8 ??

 

[The Prussian]

Seems to me that the way they are structuring their operation....I'm surprised they don't make you step on a scale, and price your ticket based on your body weight....

 

[Q400 Gear Bitch]

Surely you can't be surious. $8 ??

I am serious. And stop calling me Shirley!

 

[thepotato232]

Those are some fine customer services ideas they have there.

They're not even their ideas. Skybus is a carbon copy of Ireland's Ryanair. This kind of crap may fly in Europe, but consumers in the U.S. aren't exactly hurting for choices when it comes to low-cost carriers. These guys are in for some rough times ahead.

 

[SuperKooter]

don't act so shocked if this airline takes off big. This is what the US has been waiting for. In our culture cheap cheap walmart cheap its shocking that this airline hasn't been founded sooner.

I expect this airline to soar because every redneck and gansta will now be able to afford to fly. If you think southwest flys the scum of the nation you ain't seen nothing yet. The airplanes will probably smell like a baracks latrine and seeing as how they are only paying f/a 8$ I think we all know who they willing be hiring.

 

[Fins Up]

I am serious. And stop calling me Shirley!

HA! I wondered how long a respone like that would take. God bless Leslie Nielson.

 

[LarryinTN]

I can't wait for the first ACLU lawsuit filed by someone with Low Blood Sugar that has to eat at certain times, and some F/A tries to take their food away.

No lawsuit necessary. The Air Carrier Access Act already requires reasonably accommodation for those with disabilities. They won't be able to prevent someone with special dietary requirements from bringing their own food.

 

[skypine69]

I wonder if they will charge the pilots for a bottle of water? What about jumpseaters? Every other airline passes out at least a drink to js, and a lot put us in first if available and feed us. they gonna tell us we gotta buy a bag peanuts??? f that! thats what I say. if i get a skybus jumpseater maybe i will tell the FA to charge them for thier OJ. For the record, in europe (well at least on SAS, never flown on ryanair) they sell stuff on the plane, but they dont restrict what you bring on yourself. I think that is the difference.

 

[fly4ever]

Talked to a furloughed FA who interviewed with Skybus - she said $9 an hour, no per diem (because they claim they will be making out and backs only, everyone based in CMH - at least to start with), and they have to sell merchandise, food, drinks etc... on board.

She laughed as she was telling me about the interview but said it was sad to see some people falling over themselves to get in line.

How the heck do they do day trip turns to Bellingham and stay within the duty limits? I guess when they break down at an outstation the crew is on their own to pay for food etc... and they'll enjoy the overnight in the Bates Motel.

 

[GogglesPisano]

They'll be a media darling for the first few months.

 

[Bob_Sacamano]

Personally, I've always thought that AirTran carried the trashiest passengers. I've flown on AT 5 times, and it's ALWAYS been a circus. I don't know how those inflight crews put up with some of those folks...

If you think southwest flys the scum of the nation you ain't seen nothing yet.

 

[Captain X]

They've been talking abou them today on a local radio station......the DJs are a riot! Tearing the idea up all over the place.

They even mentioned the FA pay and said if the pilots are paid the same way they are "Staying the HELL away!!!" [sic]

 

[zonker]

Southwest has 9 nonstops out of CMH and a bunch of one-stop service to quite a few places, including SEA.

http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/routemap_dyn.html

Hopefully LUV runs their asses out of town, and pronto.

 

[EatinRamen]

My f/a friends at Allegiant are taking a paycut soon to $13.33 an hour from $20 an hour. They will also now start making a commission wich is a small percentage of the sales they make on-board. Allegiant, Spirit and now Skybus are nickel and dime-ing America... watch out, flying is about to get a whole lot less glamourous.

 

[CRJammin]

My f/a friends at Allegiant are taking a paycut soon to $13.33 an hour from $20 an hour. They will also now start making a commission wich is a small percentage of the sales they make on-board. Allegiant, Spirit and now Skybus are nickel and dime-ing America... watch out, flying if about to get a whole lot less glamourous.

...about?

 

[Draginass]

At the fares they're charging and the flight length, I don't think food is going to be a problem. Just have a sandwich before boarding and take a small bottle of water. They're not going to be able to search everyone's carry-ons for water and a candy bar and the minimum FA staffing aren't going to be watching everybody all the time. And even if they catch you, what are they going to do?? It's no violation of FAA regs, and certainly not worth it to take you to court for the cost of a bottle of water.

I just don't see how they're going to be able to pay for the fuel with the prices they're talking about charging.

Flying get less "glamourous?" Where have you been the last 15 years?

 

[Big Slick]

As much as nobody on here wants to admit it, Skybus is going to do well. They will be just like Ryan Air. They are going to do to the LCCs what the LCCs did to the legacies.

In the near future, international travel will be the only way to make money in this business. Domestic travel is going to be saturated and discounted to death.

 

[enigma]

My f/a friends at Allegiant are taking a paycut soon to $13.33 an hour from $20 an hour. They will also now start making a commission wich is a small percentage of the sales they make on-board. Allegiant, Spirit and now Skybus are nickel and dime-ing America... watch out, flying is about to get a whole lot less glamourous.

Whoa there buddy, Spirit isn't nickel and dime-ing America, We're nickel and dime-ing Puerta Rico, Haiti, the Domincan Republic, Jamaica, Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatamala, Honduras, etc.

Maybe Skybus should pay attention, Spirit -with new Airbi and low wages - isn't attempting to compete with SWA et al domestically because SWA, and AirTran have very non fuel seat costs. As far as I know, Ryan has NO seat cost advantage over SWA, what makes Skybus think that they can compete against SWA? SWA may not offer a whole bunch of amenities, but you do get a free cup of joe and two bites of peanuts. Skybus may have a harder time than some here would like to think.

 

[zonker]

As much as nobody on here wants to admit it, Skybus is going to do well. They will be just like Ryan Air. They are going to do to the LCCs what the LCCs did to the legacies.

In the near future, international travel will be the only way to make money in this business. Domestic travel is going to be saturated and discounted to death.

It's not a foregone conclusion that they will do well. In fact, history says they will fail.

 

[8vATE]

The American Consumer?

You really think Skybus will do well with the American Consumer?

Last time I checked, the airline industry is under tremendous public and Congressional scrutiny for things like customer service, ontime performance and reaccomodation.

I guess time will tell.

 

[JetFumes]

As far as I can tell, even international will get its share of competition and will have tighter margins (open skies anyone).

 

[chperplt]

My f/a friends at Allegiant are taking a paycut soon to $13.33 an hour from $20 an hour. They will also now start making a commission wich is a small percentage of the sales they make on-board. Allegiant, Spirit and now Skybus are nickel and dime-ing America... watch out, flying is about to get a whole lot less glamourous.

Actually, the FAs pay scale changed many months ago. They are on a duel scale right now. Base pay of $13 and change plus I believe 11% of all gross sales on board, or their old pay scale, whichever pays them higher.

I don't know which works out best, but on a short 2 legger today the FAs sold over $750.00.

 

[Truckdriver]

As much as nobody on here wants to admit it, Skybus is going to do well. They will be just like Ryan Air. They are going to do to the LCCs what the LCCs did to the legacies.

In the near future, international travel will be the only way to make money in this business. Domestic travel is going to be saturated and discounted to death.

I'll have to disagree. The people who can't afford to fly on B6 or SWA will give Skybus a shot. With fares on both of those airlines going for what they do, most people who need to fly already can afford it so I don't think they are going to find some huge untapped market. Some of the SWA and B6 folks may give it a try once, then they will realize that by time they pay to load up first, pay to check a bag, pay to have a coke and a snack, buy pillow, buy a blanket, then get rammed into an airplane with 6 inches of seat pitch, they will be glad to pay the $79 fare on JetBlue or SWA and have a nice ride. Your gonna pay the same to fly on Skybus or they wouldn't be starting an airline. Only the stupid people will get baited by the fares that they advertise. They may stick around for awhile, but I don't think they will do as well as Ryanair. Europe had NO LCC's when Ryanair showed up, the USA has LCC's with better products than Legacies. They aren't gonna do that great.