Skybus shuts down, third carrier to close in recent days

© Skybus

The cascade of carriers closing shop continues. The latest casualty of high fuel prices and a slowing economy is discount airline Skybus. Friday, April 4, was the last day of operations. In recent days, discount airline ATA, and Aloha Airlines ceased passenger operations, also citing fuel costs.

In a prepared statement, Skybus said flyers should contact their credit card companies for a refund. For more information, the carrier is referring passengers to its Web site.

Discount airline JetBlue is offering Skybus customers and employees a special standby airfare of $50 for one-way travel. The fare will be good for any JetBlue destination within 100 miles of the original Skybus destination. For example, Skybus passengers who were booked to fly into Gary, Indiana (GYY) can fly to Chicago O'Hare (ORD), a JetBlue airport.

Fuel-burdened Skybus slices some routes, adds others

Sky-high prices for Jet A, the propellant of choice for commercial jets, strike again. Discount airline Skybus is either axing altogether, or paring back routes from its Columbus (CMH) hub.

Skybus is eliminating nonstop service to Chattanooga (CHA) on April 15, and shelving one of its two daily nonstops from CMH to both Newburgh, NY (SWF), and Chicopee, Massachusetts (CEF). The former is north of New York City, in the Hudson Valley. The latter is an alternative airport for Hartford.

Columbus isn’t the only airport taking a hit. The discount airline plans to stop flying from Greensboro, NC (GSO) to Gulfport/Biloxi (GPT) altogether on April 15. On the same day the carrier intends to eliminate one of its two daily flights to each of the following destinations: Gary, Indiana (GYY), Wilmington, Delaware (ILG), Punta Gorda, Florida (PGD), and Newburgh, New York. Gary acts as an alternative airport to Chicago, and Wilmington is another option for Philadelphia flyers.

Skybus adds second service from Stewart

© Skybus

Discount carrier Skybus launched its second service from New York's Stewart International Airport yesterday (Monday, February 25).

The flights to Piedmont Triad International Airport will complement the recently introduced Skybus service from Stewart to Columbus, Ohio.

Flights to Triad will leave the Hudson Valley at 5:45am and 8:22pm, while return services from North Carolina will depart at 9:49am and 7:57pm. All times are local.

Fuel prices prompt Skybus to cut some West Coast flights

High fuel prices are taking their toll on fares and flights. The Columbus Dispatch reports that discount airline Skybus is axing flights to Oakland (OAK). One key reason is fuel costs.

The Dispatch quotes a Skybus spokesman as saying that the same factors that prompted the Columbus-based carrier to cut flights to Bellingham, Washington (BLI) and San Diego (SAN) caused it to drop Oakland.

Skybus is putting its airplanes where it thinks they can make the most money, and right now that means beefing up the discount airline’s East Coast route system.

Skybus takes off at Piedmont Triad International

The new Skybus service between Piedmont International Airport (PTI) and St Augustine, Florida, was celebrated this week with an official ceremony.

Delegates from the airline gathered to greet passengers, and a red carpet was laid out on the tarmac at PTI to commemorate Skybus' decision to use the airport at its operational base.

The flight to Florida was the first new service added by Skybus, with nonstop services to New Orleans and Fort Lauderdale due to be introduced later this week. Bill Diffenderffer, Chief Executive of Skybus, said: "We're very confident that this market is going to be very successful for us.

Skybus announces new routes

© Skybus

Low-cost carrier Skybus will launch new flights to Chicago, Philadelphia and Toronto in March. The airline has announced that it will add a service from Columbus to New Castle Airport, located 35 miles from Philadelphia, on March 7.

Flights to Toronto via Niagara Falls International Airport will begin on April 1, when a second daily nonstop flight to Milwaukee will be added.

A second flight will also be added from Greensboro to Fort Lauderdale alongside a service to Gary/Chicago International Airport from the airline's base at Piedmont International Airport in North Carolina.

Aircraft problems cause delays for Skybus

Discount carrier Skybus canceled ten flights over Christmas following problems with two aircraft.

Bob Tenebaum, Spokesperson for the airline, said that a door problem on one plane and a damaged fuselage on another led to the cancellations. Maintenance work is ongoing, though the Skybus representative expects repairs to be complete this morning with flights running as usual later today.

However, he told the Associated Press that if work is not complete, further delays will be likely on routes from Columbus to Milwaukee and Fort Lauderdale among others.

Get set - Skybus' second base is Greensboro

Discount airline Skybus will begin flying from a second base beginning early next year, that when the carrier launches flights from Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) in North Carolina. GSO is the prime airportal for Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point.

There are lots of things different about Skybus: new airplanes, “unbundled” services that charges for things such as checked bags, and a promise to offer ten seats at ten dollars each on every flight.

January 15 Skybus' new A319s are set to start flying from GSO twice daily to Portsmouth International Airport (PSM) in New Hampshire. The airport is within decent distance of Boston. On the same day Skybus is due to begin flights to the Jacksonville/Daytona Beach area - this through St. Augustine's airport (SGJ). January 15 is also the projected start date for twice-daily nonstop service from Greensboro down to Charlotte County Airport (PGD) in Punta Gorda, Florida.

Skybus to cut Bellingham flights

Low-cost airline Skybus is to discontinue its service to Bellingham from January.

The carrier's last flight between its Columbus base and Bellingham International Airport is scheduled for January 5.

One of the airline's two daily flights between Columbus and Burbank will also be cut in January, with a reduction in the San Diego-Columbus service expected in March.

Skybus looks at new base

Skybus is reportedly looking at establishing a new base at Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTI).

The Ohio-based discount carrier plans to create a second "focus city", to mirror its services out of Columbus, according to The Winston-Salem Journal.

Bob Tenenbaum, a Skybus Spokesman, told the newspaper that six cities were under consideration, but only explained the purpose of the new base, rather than naming the chosen few. "Aircrafts would be based there, and there would be direct flights from that city to other destinations without going through Columbus," he explained.