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Skybus Shuts Down

April 4, 2008 at 9:12 PM | by pbb | 6 Comments

Turns out that selling $10 tickets can't make you money. Skybus, which would've celebrated a year of service on May 22, has ceased operations. While the carrier's website is still up and running, a source tells us--and the Columbus Dispatch confirms--that the ultra LCC is finished as of tonight.

That makes it the fourth airline to shutter this week, another victim of high costs and a brutal industry. Skybus isn't offering any sort of alternate arrangements, so wherever you're stranded, you'll have to find your own way home.

One has to wonder if ex-CEO Bill Diffenderffer saw the writing on the wall and made an early exit. One hopes not, as that's not exactly a samuri move.

Related Stories:
· Skybus coverage [Jaunted]

6 Comments

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  1. markj

    Jaunted

    Sad

    $160 million in capital raised, 11 months of operation.  That has to be a record.  Now I guess they go to the big greyhound in the sky.  Sad.
    April 4, 2008 at 9:57 PM
  1. acrolite

    Jaunted Member

    Yep...

    Very sad. Not just for the passengers who are left behind, but for the various local governments who were willing to shell out incentives and such for Skybus service.

    This certainly can't bode well for Jet America's fund-raising efforts in Charleston, either.

    April 4, 2008 at 10:09 PM
  1. Jondude11

    Jaunted Member

    Re

    Great. Three refunds coming my way. :(
    April 4, 2008 at 11:14 PM
  1. Phamer55

    Jaunted Member

    Terrible Week!

    What a terrible week for travellers.  First Aloha, then ATA, now Skybus.  I'm in shock!  Was really looking forward to trying them out and was rooting hard for them.  So sad :(
    April 5, 2008 at 1:37 AM
  1. Arment24

    Jaunted Member

    3 refunds??

    I just bought 5 round trip tickets as a 10 year wedding aniversary present for my wife April 1st, and here it is April 4th and NOW they say they're out of business?

    They didn't know that a few days ago?

    April 5, 2008 at 6:59 PM
  1. mgpilot

    Jaunted Member

    once again

    Again we have a start up attract great media coverage, raise a lot of money, get local politicians to grant deals, and then they take the money and run. Who loses? Not the execs or politicians, but the employees and the flying public. There have been thousands of failures like Sky Bus in the last 30 years - and how many successes? One or two. The major airlines all have their problems, but they are still here. So if you want to get from A to B  - buy a ticket on a real airline- not some puff piece with a cool paint job. And if you lose money on some fly by night like Sky Bus - too bad, you asked for it.
    April 5, 2008 at 11:54 PM

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