5/01/2008 at 2:00 PM
Tags: Skybus, Airlines, Low Cost Carriers, LCCs, Airline Bankruptcy, John Weikle (all tags)
A few weeks ago, rumors were swirling that Skybus could come soaring back to life. And the Columbus Dispatch reported that the carrier's assets, including its valuable operating certificate, were being shopped around. But as it turns out, no one wants them.
Airline chief Mike Hodge says nobody's even bid on his company's future aircraft orders, the Skybus name or that operating certificate. And the one guy who might've been interested, John Weikle, was too busy sending conspiracy theory-laden emails to former Skybus employees to pony up an actual offer.
The LCC is still open to selling off its goods, but after so many airline bankruptcies it's hard to imagine who'd want to buy them.
Related Stories:
· No Second Chance Expected for Skybus [Columbus Dispatch]
· Skybus Lives on in Photos [Jaunted]
· Skybus coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: msmail]
by pbb
4/21/2008 at 12:00 PM
Tags: Skybus, Airlines, Low Cost Carriers, LCCs, John Weikle, Airline Bankruptcy (all tags)
After its catastrophic implosion, it's hard to imagine Skybus actually returning to the skies. But industry watcher Nawal Taneja tells the Columbus Dispatch there's a chance it could happen:
I know there are people interested in the certificate. They just think the management team and the business model weren't right.
He's talking about the "air carrier operating certificate," a document issued by the FAA that lets airlines fly. That, among a bunch of other Skybus assets, are up for grabs now that the company has shut down.
Among those shopping is likely the carrier's founder, John Weikle. (He left the company shortly after it started flying.) Because of a bunch of federal rules, Weikle wouldn't be able to snatch up the certificate and launch Jet America with it, but he could try to revive Skybus, keeping its base of operations in Columbus.
It's too early to say whether any of this will actually happen, of course. But maybe those $10 tickets will be back sooner than we imagine.
Related Stories:
· New Airline Could Rise from the Ashes of Skybus [Columbus Dispatch]
· Skybus coverage [Jaunted]
by pbb
4/08/2008 at 2:14 PM
Tags: John Weikle, LCCs, Low Cost Carriers, Project New Horizons, CRW, New Airlines, Jet America, Matt Ballard (all tags)
On Monday morning, the future for Jet America looked pretty grim, but we were holding out hope that John Weikle could get his airline aloft. But after Skybus went down in flames, he decided to pull the plug on the new project.
Charleston Area Alliance President Matt Ballard says fundraising for the project has stopped, and the Daily Mail quotes Weikle as saying checks are going back to investors. That's the end of Jet America for now.
Meanwhile Ballard says a lack of leadership on national energy policy is what's killing airlines these days, not a bogus business model:
I think all of the investors here in the local area still believe in John Weikle's ultra-low cost carrier model. In fact, there were many who despite the Skybus announcement wanted to move forward...I believe John will make this model work in the US; it works for Air Asia and Ryanair.
Related Stories:
· Skybus Founder Says Refunds of Public Money Coming [Daily Mail]
· What the Skybus Shutdown Means for Jet America [Jaunted]
· Jet America coverage [Jaunted]
by pbb
4/07/2008 at 11:37 AM
Tags: John Weikle, LCCs, Low Cost Carriers, Project New Horizons, CRW, New Airlines, Jet America, Matt Ballard (all tags)
Skybus plans to file for bankruptcy in Delaware today, and that has a lot of people in West Virginia nervous. How's that? The founder of the 'bus, John Weikle, is now at work on Jet America, an ultra-LCC set to take off from Charleston in 2009.
Among those sweating is Yeager Airport Director Rick Atkinson:
[The Skybus shutdown] is like throwing a wet blanket on plans for Jet America...I don't see how we could go forward with this model.
Also worried is at least one local business leader--who's now frozen some of that seed money his group pledged to Jet America:
There's no way we would have done this if I didn't think Skybus was successful.
For his part, Jaunted pen pal Matt Ballard hasn't given up on the idea of Jet America. But we have to wonder: Does it count as an airline shuttering if the carrier never took a flight?
Related Stories:
· Weikle's Skybus Ceases Operations [Charleston Gazette]
· Top Secret Airline Watch: More Details on Jet America [Jaunted]
· Jet America coverage [Jaunted]
by pbb
4/03/2008 at 11:39 AM
Tags: John Weikle, LCCs, Low Cost Carriers, Project New Horizons, CRW, New Airlines, Jet America, Matt Ballard (all tags)
Though it's still a long way off, more details are leaking out about the planned ultra-low cost carrier Jet America. At present, we'll be waiting until at least 2009 to see some actual planes.
Until then, The Charleston Gazette has the details on what to expect:
The paint scheme--called the aircraft livery--features a tail with a blue background and white stars. The rest of the back-end of the plane will be red, with a white outline. The airline's name...and website will also be on the side of the plane.
While the model of plane is still under wraps, the aircraft will hold at least 120 passengers, one investor said.
As far as we can tell, president John Weikle, pictured, is still shopping around for a $40 million investment to help things along. And Matt Ballard--who we spoke with recently--says destinations and more information should be released soon.
Related Stories:
· Jet America Details Still Under Wraps [Charleston Gazette]
· Jaunted Interviews: Matt Ballard Fills Us in on Project New Horizons [Jaunted]
· Top Secret Airline Watch: Yeager LCC Will Be Called Jet America [Jaunted]
by pbb
3/18/2008 at 10:01 AM
Tags: John Weikle, LCCs, Low Cost Carriers, Project New Horizons, CRW, New Airlines, Jet America, Matt Ballard, Jaunted Interviews (all tags)
A Jaunted Exclusive
We're obsessed with the idea of Jet America, the new ultra low cost carrier that could start flying in Charleston, West Virginia. But we don't really know that much about it. So instead of just speculating, we decided to actually ask someone who knows what he's talking about.
We got in touch with Matt Ballard, the President and CEO of the Charleston Area Alliance, a non-profit development group that chipped in some seed money to get Project New Horizons off the ground. Matt was bound by a confidentiality agreement and SEC regulations, but he did manage to illuminate some things for us.
One biggie: You won't see this airline till 2009 at the earliest.
MORE...
by pbb
3/13/2008 at 2:43 PM
Tags: John Weikle, LCCs, Jet America, Skybus, Project New Horizons, New Airlines (all tags)
According to a Jaunted tipster, and now confirmed by the Charleston Daily Mail, Skybus founder John Weikle's Project New Horizons has an official name: Jet America, World Police. Ok, we made up the world police part. Besides, you would think an airline based at Yeager would go after a name like The Right Stuff -- nope.
Jet America Inc. was registered on Nov. 26 with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission.
Jet America is a name from the aviation bone yard. Seven California businessmen established an airline with that name in 1981 in Long Beach. The original Jet America started with flights between Long Beach and Chicago.
...an action adventure airline from the creators of
South Park Skybus.
Related Stories:
Project New Horizons [Jaunted]
by markj
3/04/2008 at 12:20 PM
Tags: John Weikle, LCCs, Low Cost Carriers, Skybus, Project New Horizons, CRW, New Airlines (all tags)
The nascent low cost carrier from Skybus founder John Weikle is one step closer to reality. Investors, including business alliances in Charleston, West Virginia, have cobbled together $3 million in seed money to start Project New Horizons.
There's understandably some skepticism about the project, in light of Independence Air's short-lived service to Charleston's Yeager Airport. Weikle told The Charleston Gazette the new project will be different:
Independence Air made use of the hub-and-spoke system, with its main hub at Washington's Dulles International, and competed with major carriers on nearly all its routes, Weikle said. The low-cost operation envisioned for Charleston, he said, "will offer point-to-point service" with no connecting routes, on routes not served by major carriers.
With the initial money in hand, Weikle is now looking for $40 million from institutional investors. If he can get that cash quickly, we could see a new airline by the end of 2008. As for potential destinations, we probably won't hear anything until next month.
Related Stories:
· $3 Million Airline Seed Is Planted [Gazette]
· Top Secret Airline Watch: Project New Horizons [Jaunted]
· New Airlines coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo of CRW: Google Maps]
by pbb
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