Skybus' "rules of the sky"

[HA25]

Gee,they'll fit right in at Delta then when Skybus goes out of business!!

The Delta FA's I had on my last flight to MXP were not only somewhat attractive (even the older ones), but VERY friendly and very interested in my comfort. Granted, I travelled on the DAY they emerged from BK, and there was a bit of excitement in the air, but time will tell if DAL becomes a formidable force in the International travel market like BA, and Lufty..

 

[Avi8tor2000]

Anyone can suffer for a couple of hours on a plane to get where they want to go for little or no money.
Champ42272

I do it everytime I fold myself in the jumpseat of an RJ. Does it suprise us that the traveling public takes advantage of the same thing?

 

[cfm56-7]

It's all about the cash

 

[AV80R]

unfortunately - Skybus WILL survive!

Champ - I agree with you and your wife. They are a major threat to our industry…

...Courtesy of the “other” site:
Skybus
· 65 new A319s on order from Airbus
· …
· Starting salary $65,000, with 4,800 stock options (vesting period under review)
· FO pay: $30,000/yr with 1,500 stock options
· …
· Business model to follow that closely of Ryanair in Europe

…and from RyanAir official website:

1997
On 29th May 1997 Ryanair becomes a public company for the first time with a successful flotation on the Dublin and NASDAQ (New York) Stock Exchanges. The shares are more than 20 times over subscribed and the share price surges from a flotation price of €11 to close at €25½ on their first day of trading. All of Ryanair's employees receive shares as part of the flotation process and at the close of the first days trading, Ryanair's employees are sitting on over €100m. worth of shares.

I’d imagine the company stock is a major reason why some Skybus pilots put up with the minimal benefits. If they succeed in copying RyanAir they all might make some serious money. All initial RyanAir employees are multi- millionaires today, of course so are all initial SWA employees.

I am not defending Skybus’ benefits –or lack of – but at the same time as much as I hate to admit it I truly believe the RyanAir concept will prevail over time. I think most passengers today have Greyhound bus mentality already and therefore all they see is the initial “low price” ticket.

As a matter of fact, with the new Open Sky agreement I predict that within the next 3-5 years you’ll see RyanAir and Skybus create a mutually owned subsidiary to begin flights between Europe and the US. Virgin Atlantic and Virgin America will do the very same thing in one way or the other.

Btw. if you say "they can't do it - it's illegal" - yeah, right - let's see, we won’t be able to fly after 60, correct? Exactly - laws can and will be changed to accommodate the trailer park, I’m sorry, the traveling public.

The major airline recovery has been aided by the fact there’s little if no competition in the international market and therefore they could get away with charging more on international flights. I think the next 5 years we’ll see several low-cost-airlines begin international flights, SWA probably being the first one to do it. I look at it as “deregulation step #2.”

Again, from a pilot’s perspective I hate it because it means that our working conditions will be getting even worst over time while our benefits will be continuously eroded. At the same time, the consumers couldn’t care any less about our working conditions and ultimately they’re the ones deciding – therefore I think Skybus will survive and that the international markets will be all LCC’s next goal.

Fire away…

 

[regionaltard]

The Skybus Rules of Flying

(A.K.A. How we keep our tickets so darn cheap.)


1. Feeling lucky? Don’t pay for industry-standard pilots.

One of the reasons that flying is statistically more than 20 times safer than driving is that airline pilots have traditionally been well-paid and competiion for these desriable jobs has allowed airlines to select the best, brightest, and most experienced to crew their planes. At Skybus, we pay our crews about half of what the lowest paid pilots in the industry are currently earning. How can we do it? We figure that increased use of automation and technology will allow us to cut some serious corners with our "drivers," paying them even less than what a real bus driver makes. That means you don't pay for skill and experience on the pointy end of the airplane that you're probably not going to need. And even if your flight on Skybus is only 5 times safer than the drive to the airport, those are still pretty good odds, right?

 

[HA25]

The Skybus Rules of Flying

(A.K.A. How we keep our tickets so darn cheap.)


1. Feeling lucky? Don’t pay for industry-standard pilots.

One of the reasons that flying is statistically more than 20 times safer than driving is that airline pilots have traditionally been well-paid and competiion for these desriable jobs has allowed airlines to select the best, brightest, and most experienced to crew their planes. At Skybus, we pay our crews about half of what the lowest paid pilots in the industry are currently earning. How can we do it? We figure that increased use of automation and technology will allow us to cut some serious corners with our "drivers," paying them even less than what a real bus driver makes. That means you don't pay for skill and experience on the pointy end of the airplane that you're probably not going to need. And even if your flight on Skybus is only 5 times safer than the drive to the airport, those are still pretty good odds, right?

it's not politically correct to say, but let's face it... to most airline managers, a pilot is just "meat in the seat" these days.. the days when you REALLY needed a good airman to get you from A to B, when you had steam gauges like the DC-9, 707's and DC-10's are long gone.. today any idiot can work a Microsoft Jet so long as all the systems are working..

 

[Cavpilot]

I'm hearing that their CAs are ex Indy Air - Anyone know for sure? Surely they could've found jobs elsewhere before this.

I know that at least a couple of ex-Indy guys left NetJets to go to Skybus. Good riddance to them.

 

[Beetle007]

ALPA should have fought for the ex-Indy guys to get their jobs at Compass (with longevity). There is no reason that Northwest should be able to buy the Indy certificate without taking the pilots. At a minumum, ALPA should have put up a fight for these guys.

If I were ex-Indy I would go to Skybus just out of spite for how they have been treated. Now it is their turn for payback.

I am against Skybus but I understand why Indy guys wouldn't give a second thought to hurting the industry.

 

[jetalc]

So it will be like Southwest and Airtran then? They will do just fine!!

Beat me to it!! (At least the Southwest part)...

 

[Gnarloooo]

Mark my words...this will be huge....just as huge as Southwest. And with its success will be the last gasp of a once prestigious and respected career. Get out while you can.