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2008: How much airline do you get for $10?



 
 
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Old April 1st, 2008, 06:57 PM posted to rec.travel.air
Ablang
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Default 2008: How much airline do you get for $10?

How much airline do you get for $10?
by Jessica Labrencis, SmarterTravel.com Staff - March 27, 2008

http://www.smartertravel.com/travel-...1&u=SL4F6B4DC5

Skybus generates a lot of buzz among travelers and travel
professionals alike. It advertises $10 fares, and it's one of the
first (and few) domestic airlines to follow the Ryanair model--offering
rock-bottom prices and charging extra for everything from onboard food
and beverages to seat assignments, checked bags, and more. Skybus
isn't for everyone, and many of you have shared your own experiences
with us. Find out if the $10 fares are worth contending with the
airline's quirky route map and customer service style.
Prices and routes

Skybus' major attraction is its prices. It claims to offer at least 10
fares for $10 one-way on every flight. But as one reader writes, "If
you are drawn to Skybus by the $10 fares, good luck. In [its] overall
pricing scheme, there are a lot more $300 seats than $10 seats. Do the
math: each Skybus plane holds 150 passengers, getting the $10 seats is
like winning a lottery."
Advertisement

In my analysis of Skybus' most recent offer, I could only find $10
fares on two of the four advertised routes. From my previous
experience covering the airline, I expect the remaining $10 fares on
its current schedule to sell out within a month.

In recent months Skybus has begun to expand its route map beyond its
Columbus hub, but it still focuses primarily on Columbus and
Greensboro, and it doesn't offer any connecting service. New routes
include flights from Newburgh, New York, to Portsmouth, New Hampshire,
a route that is somewhat deceptively billed as New York to Boston. It
also serves Punta Gorda and St. Augustine, advertised as Ft. Myers and
Jacksonville/Daytona Beach. And that's a real drawback: Its route map
can be downright misleading, as it lists the closest major city
instead of the airport it actually serves. (More examples: Chicopee,
Massachusetts, stands in for Hartford; Gulfport/Biloxi instead of New
Orleans; and Gary, Indiana, in place of Chicago).

Skybus has also begun dropping cities from its route map, including
Bellingham, Washington; Chattanooga; San Diego; and Niagara Falls, New
York.
Customer service

Skybus is an online-only operation, and does not provide a customer
service phone number. Instead, customers are encouraged to email
Skybus, though its website states, "Because of the large volume of
messages we receive, we can't guarantee when you'll receive a
response." Not exactly comforting.

One reader wrote in recently with this warning: "Watch out for
Skybus!" This reader claimed that she booked a flight on Skybus, only
to have the airline change her flight days later without an
explanation. Upon further investigation, she says she discovered her
original flight was still available for booking, though at higher
prices than she paid. Her email inquiry to Skybus about the itinerary
change has yet to receive a reply. "There is no way to call and speak
to anyone, and obviously they do not care about replying to email,"
warns the reader.
Advertising

In a previous article, I wrote about the stream of advertisements
travelers are subjected to on Skybus, with sale pitches from flight
attendants and ad-plastered planes. But one reader took issue with my
assessment: "I just completed my first time flying with Skybus two
weeks ago ... I did not find it to be a 'constant stream of sales
pitches.' There never was any pressure to purchase anything; they were
polite and moved on."

While this report differs from my assessment, I'm pleased to hear not
all flights are heavy on the advertising.

Have you flown Skybus? Does your experience with the airline reflect
what I've mentioned here? Send an email to editor at smartertravel.com
and let me know.
 




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