Skybus Shuts Down || Jaunted

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Skybus Shuts Down

4/04/2008 at 9:12 PM
Tags: Skybus, Airlines, Low Cost Carriers, LCCs, Bill Diffenderffer, Breaking News, Airline Bankruptcy (all tags)

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 - Add Yours by pbb

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Comments on Skybus Shuts Down

markj
Jaunted

Sad (none / 0)

$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.

by markj on 4/04/2008 at 9:57 PM

acrolite
Jaunted Member

Yep... (none / 0)

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.

by acrolite on 4/04/2008 at 10:09 PM

Jondude11
Jaunted Member

Re (none / 0)

Great. Three refunds coming my way. :(

by Jondude11 on 4/04/2008 at 11:14 PM

Phamer55
Jaunted Member

Terrible Week! (none / 0)

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 :(

by Phamer55 on 4/05/2008 at 1:37 AM

Arment24
Jaunted Member

3 refunds?? (none / 0)

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?

by Arment24 on 4/05/2008 at 6:59 PM

mgpilot
Jaunted Member

once again (none / 0)

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.

by mgpilot on 4/05/2008 at 11:54 PM

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