Skybus: interesting economic experiment

[marcmagus]

I just discovered Skybus today. It's a new low-cost, zero-frills airline with its hub in Columbus, OH.

It looks to be an interesting experiment in capitalism. They charge you for your seat, and that gets you a seat on the plane (no guarantee you'll arrive on time, but they guarantee they'll get you there or compensate you) and space for the usual carryon plus personal item. That's about it. If you want to check a bag, you pay for it ($5 for each of the first two, $50 each beyond that, with fees for oversize/overweight). If you want something to eat or drink, you buy it on the plane. If you want travel insurance, they have a partner you can buy it from. You can also pay for "priority boarding" . . . for $10, you get to be in the first group of people to board after the people with documented disabilities. Pay for what you use, it's a perfect capitalist model. Well, heading in that direction, anyway.

There's also supposed to be advertising both outside and inside the plane, and rumor has it the plane will be a bit of a flying shopping mall. And they say you can't bring your own food on the plane (I'm a little less comfortable with that one, but I don't know how picky they're going to be about it).

So I'm flying to Columbus for Origins on 4 July. For $36.30, assuming they get their FAA license by then like they expect to. It'll be interesting to see how I feel about tons of advertising and crap to save a hundred dollars or so. But . . . $10 each way plus fees and taxes. If a few of these spring up with different hubs and destinations, the result could be really pleasant. (I miss Independence Air with their cheap flights from wherever to DC...)

Comments

[mosephine.livejournal.com]

if only they flew to Portland, OR - it's costing me ~13 times that amount to get out there from Boston in July... grrr.

[electrolite37.livejournal.com]

Sounds very much like Ryan Air, which is what many of my fencing friends use when travelling about Europe.