Skybus (???)

[wooferdog]

Anybody know anything about these people?


Straight from Yahoo!:

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Press ReleaseSource: Skybus Airlines

Skybus Airlines Completes Second Financing Round; Startup has Raised $160 Million+ as it Nears Launch
Monday April 2, 5:33 pm ET
COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 2 /PRNewswire/ -- As it prepares to start operation this Spring, Skybus Airlines has completed a second round of financing of $72.7 million, bringing to approximately $160 million the total amount raised by the Columbus-based startup airline. This is in addition to the previously reported $57 million of state and city funding and incentives.
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[Flyby1206]

http://airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines/major-national-lcc/skybus.html

 

[Flydaplane]

Based on what Indy Air burnt through that is enough for about 6 months.

 

[General Lee]

Well, sounds like they are pretty well funded initially, but I still question how many people will want to go to Columbus, OH for a "fun weekend getaway?" The website said they would have nonstop flights from CMH. I know there is a great university there (OSU), and that could create some traffic, but other than that, CMH is a dud. America West tried a hub there and left with their tail between their legs. But, many will try to create new low fare airlines, and it will put pressure, for at least a while, on the other airlines. Maybe that is why DL and other legacies are looking for more INTL routes---places Skybus and other new LCCs won't go.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[RedDogC130]

I saw one of the Skybus birds sitting on the ramp in CMH the other day. Scary..it is alive

 

[Skywriter70]

Skybus brings pilot pay to a new low!!!!!

Hmmmmm..... A319 Captain pay for less that CRJ200 Captain pay... DOES THIS ALARM ANYONE???? <<<<<<DON'T LET THEM DO IT>>>>>>

 

[Skywriter70]

Be part of the solution, not part of the problem!!!

 

[jtf]

I do not work there or want to touch the job with a big stick, but I know people who are interviewing and who were already hired. The whole CMH as a major hub is evidently not in the plans. What I heard was that they will open many mini-hubs with 8 to 10 airplanes each in supposedly underserved communities that they think can fill up the 319s on direct flights that were not previously offered from those places. I have an easier time believing this to be the plan since there isn't nearly enough gate space to hub 65 or whatever 319s out of CMH right now or in the near future unless they somehow wiped out most of the other carriers business to and from CMH- good luck with that. It is truly scary, but not surprising, that they are having no trouble hiring and now all the interviews are for FOs at 30K a year.

 

[HighSpeedClimb]

I too have no desire to work there or believe the salary is fair for our profession flying an Airbus, but look at it from a financial position.. Unemployment or 30K..No type rating in the bus or a type rating in the bus. Live in Columbus or don't live in Columbus.. Its fairly easy to see why getting pilots will be no problem..

 

[Princedietrich]

Unfortunately, I can see the logic that HSC is relating to. If I were about 9 years younger, living in Columbus, had a brand new commercial cert with the ink barely dry, and no experience with what the real world of professional aviation was like, I'd probably jump on this as a dream opportunity. I'm sure those are the folks that will dive in headfirst for the FO positions here, and to be honest I can't blame them for wanting to get into the "heavy metal" at a young age. I'm sure we all had aspirations like that at one point before we all got old and jaded. So I can see how the next generation pilots would want to flock to Skybus in droves.

The captains and experienced FO applicants on the other hand.......

 

[jtf]

I don't believe they are interviewing FOs who have at least 1000 turbine PIC. Evidently there are lots of regional captians who want to fly something bigger and will accept less to do it. I made more as a Jungle Jet CA at one of the crappiest regionals than a 319 CA will make there. There are people interviewing for the FO slot at less than half their current pay, hoping to upgrade ASAP to less than they were making before. I guess if everything worked just right and the airline did great and the salaries went way up and the pilots there now get the best schedules, it could end up worth it, but that is a lot of ifs. Almost no airlines out there increase their pay without a union or unless they aren't getting any more willing workers. They have no reason to ever give their pilots anything if they can keep them coming in for nothing.

 

[AZ Typed]

Indy Air used inefficient CRJs for MONTHS before the Buses came online. The Buses were months behind schedule - a leading factor to their quick demise.

AZT

 

[buxflyr]

Well, sounds like they are pretty well funded initially, but I still question how many people will want to go to Columbus, OH for a "fun weekend getaway?" The website said they would have nonstop flights from CMH. I know there is a great university there (OSU), and that could create some traffic, but other than that, CMH is a dud. America West tried a hub there and left with their tail between their legs. But, many will try to create new low fare airlines, and it will put pressure, for at least a while, on the other airlines. Maybe that is why DL and other legacies are looking for more INTL routes---places Skybus and other new LCCs won't go.

Bye Bye--General Lee

For the 4th time, AWA did not have a true hub at CMH. I dont agree with the pilot pay at all and I am a relatively new guy. They do, however, have a lot more funding and planning than previous startups.

 

[FLYLOW22]

For the 4th time, AWA did not have a true hub at CMH. I dont agree with the pilot pay at all and I am a relatively new guy. They do, however, have a lot more funding and planning than previous startups.

AWA advertised a hub in CMH for a time. There seemed to be alot of AWA planes connecting through CMH for a time. Looked like a hub.

 

[GuppyPuppy]

I used to work at AWA when Columbus opened. Even management called it a hub.

If it walks like a duck, looks like a duck and sounds like a duck.....

You can call it what you want, but I know for a fact that the company called it a hub.

E

 

[skypine69]

I think there needs to be a new category started and this topic moved. Skybus is not a major airline. I believe the new category shall be "Crappy new startups where pilots sell their soul to work at".

 

[buxflyr]

I used to work at AWA when Columbus opened. Even management called it a hub.

If it walks like a duck, looks like a duck and sounds like a duck.....

You can call it what you want, but I know for a fact that the company called it a hub.

E

And regional airline management calls 21K pay livable.

There were two routes on mainline aircraft to LAS and PHX. The connectors were to the NE on express planes. I am not arguing what a hub is or not, but generally it used to be said that there needs to be originators in the 20-25+ range to form a true hub. It is a liquid term, however, as PIT is still above that, but considered simply a "focus" city. Management writes the dictionary...remember?