Skybus $20 promotion ended on the 5th and someone I know snagged a ticket

by Jamie Rhein on

No, I’m not the one who got the promotional price. And here’s why. On January 2, just before I was heading out of town with my husband and kids for jam-packed excitement in Cincinnati with friends, I got an email from Skybus announcing $20 each way flights to a few locations–one to Newburgh, New York. Since packing for the trip at hand, instead of planning for a trip in the future, was a priority, I put the deal on hold.

Two days later some of these flights on the weekend were still available. I went as far as picking the flight and starting to put in credit card information, but I choked. Here’s why:

1. I waffled about bringing my son. Should I or shouldn’t I? On one hand it would be fun. On the other hand, a solo trip would be great, but then that would leave my husband with my son for the weekend which is no big deal, but is it fair? I already won’t give my husband the left hand window seat of an airplane if we are sitting together. Wouldn’t leaving him with our highly energetic son on a weekend when he needs to get grading done be pushing it?

2. The weather in February, when I was planning to go, is so unpredictable. I could get stuck at my dad’s unable to get out. Being stuck in Columbus would be no big deal. I’d just eat the cost of the ticket, but the idea of being stuck on top of a mountain in upstate New York was not a happy thought. I spent my adolescence feeling stuck up there. No thanks.

3. Then there were thoughts of Skybus’s winter holiday snafus with the planes not working. Again, I could get stuck not being able to leave Newburgh. Without anyone to call how would you know if there was a problem? If there was a problem, does that mean that you have to stay in Newburgh until the problem is fixed? Does the airline inform people when the flights are going if you give someone a phone number? They do through the internet, but my dad doesn’t have internet. Again, there was fear of being stuck on top of a mountain, possibly forever.

4. If I couldn’t get out that would mean I couldn’t do any of my jobs which would mean a lack of income. A cheap ticket becomes expensive.

So, I decided to sleep on my decision-making. As what happens every time I wait on decision-making with Skybus, the ticket prices went up on the weekend that was the most convenient for me to travel, therefore I have decided to wait for the next round of cheap tickets. Once a price goes above $100, unless I have a specific reason to go on a trip, there’s a lot of things $100 will pay for. Psychologically, there’s something about not getting the cheapest deal that gets in the way.

Now, who is getting the cheap tickets.? My dad. I called him about the deal when I found out it was not good for me, Getting out of Newburgh was still cheap for him. He’s coming to Columbus for roughly $56.00 round-trip. Who wouldn’t?

I just looked at Skybus ticket prices. The days that used to cost $20, now cost $35, but they are mostly during the week. If you fly to Newburgh on this afternoon’s flight, it will cost you $35. That’s not a bad deal in an emergency. If you wait until tomorrow, it will cost you $180.

Here’s friend of mine’s take on SkyBus. Tom Barlow ‘s post “SkyBus: How cheap is too cheap,” at WalletPop reflects some of my concerns.

“Ego Air” to Take to Inflated Skies?

by Catherine Bodry on

Ryanair’s chief Michael O’Leary is considering budget transatlantic flights, but says he would create a new airline to run them. Name options include “something sexy like O’Leary Air or Ego Air,” he told a news conference to promote Ryanair’s latest flight deals.

All he needs is a fleet of new longhaul aircraft, which he’s going to hold off on purchasing. Aircraft prices are currently at a peak, but they can fall by as much as 30 – 40% in a typical cycle. And like other budget airlines, there will not be first class; about 80% of the seats would be economy with a service for business travellers at the front. Furthermore, the airline would serve secondary airports, as does Ryanair.

No talk of fare prices, but I’m certainly in for a cheap(er) transatlantic crossing. Now if I could only convince a budget airline to fly Anchorage – Shanghai…. Any takers?

[via USA Today]

Planes or Trains? Which is the Best Way to Travel in Europe?

by Neil Woodburn on

There was a time not so long ago that train travel was the only way to travel Europe; planes were prohibitively expensive and only used by businessmen.

Obviously this has all changed with the arrival of budget airlines. Super low fares, some as low as a euro, now make plane travel the obvious choice.

Or does it?

Tips for getting around Western Europe by plane & by train is an LA Times article which tackles the modern day euro-conundrum: train or plane?

To answer this question, Journalist Jane Engle went on assignment, traveling through four countries in four days using a combination of budget airlines and high speed trains. I wasn’t too surprised with the eventual outcome of her journey; planes are better for long distances, trains are better for shorter ones.

The problem with many budget airlines, she learns, is that they normally fly into smaller airports that are usually further from the city center and more expensive to get to. In addition, there are the security lines to deal with as well as getting to the airport an hour early. Trains, on the other hand, simply pull into the center of town, and you’re there!

Giving the option, I personally will always opt for train travel; it’s more scenic and relaxing and is part of the journey itself; plane travel is nothing more than transportation.

Is it Safe to Fly in Asia?

by Catherine Bodry on

When I was in Asia I often paid for an overnight train rather than fly in a rickety plane. My guidebook advised that Laos Airlines had one of the worst safety records in the world, and there was no way I was taking any chances on an airline with a bad reputation. And reading the news lately, I’m glad I opted for the slower alternative.

Msnbc.com reports that pilot shortages, a string of crashes, and air traffic growth are raising concerns about the safety of flying in Asia. More than 50 budget airlines have popped up around the continent, and if you’re thinking about flying on one you should do some homework.

Tom Ballantyne, chief corespondent for Orient Aviation magazine, suggests that potential passengers research safety issues and accidents for both the budget airline and its parent company. For example, the One-Two-Go flight that crashed and killed 88 passengers last week on Phuket, Thailand is connected to Orient-Thai Airlines — a company that has been cited for outdated safety manuals and once almost hit a tower in Tokyo. Ballantyne also recommends checking out what kind of planes the airline operates — are they new or old?

Indonesia has had the most problems. The report cites the lure of higher-paying jobs for pilots in the Middle East and other parts of Asia, as well as a shortfall of trained flight-deck personnel.

It’s enough to keep this girl on the road, that’s for sure.

Skybus, First-Hand Experience: The Return Trip

by Jamie Rhein on

Ever since I read the comment that was left on this earlier post about the Skybus canceled flight with little compensation, I have wondered about what our return trip would be like. As much as I’ve flown (even from Timbucktu to Mopti, Mali) there’s a part of me that wonders if I’ll ever reach home again whenever I head away on an airplane.

The Skybus flight from Bellingham did deliver us back to Columbus only a mere hour late. There wasn’t a layover anywhere since the flight is direct. Instead, the delay had something to do with the plane arriving late in Bellingham and something about the computer. (The pilot mentioned some computer work once we were already on the plane.) If you are heading to Seattle from Columbus, you land in Bellingham. You can be back home in Columbus by 4:26 PM if the flight is on time–and in our case, back on the ground by 5:26. If you decide to do this trip, the same crew will be with you. The particular crew on our flight was interested in finding out what the Bellingham airport looks like since they’ve never seen it–they don’t leave the aircraft. No matter where they fly to, they always end up back in Columbus without getting off.

An advantage to flying in and out of Bellingham is definitely the ease of getting to the airport and checking in. As we headed away from Seattle (actually Bothell) on I-5 North at 6:15 AM, the stream of traffic heading towards the city was bumper to bumper intense while we zipped along in the opposite direction at a fairly rapid clip. By 8:00 AM, an hour before our flight’s scheduled departure, we were checked-in and our rental car was returned. Unlike major airports, the car rental parking lot is a few steps from the terminal.

I do have one complaint, and I’m not the only one. One of the Skybus crew said some passengers have also said the same thing. The Skybus check-in area is not well marked. It’s right after the main terminal, but there’s no indication of this. If you unload your car right before the main entrance like we did, you’ll be heading through the terminal, snaking around all the people waiting in line for security clearance and out another door before you get to the Skybus area. With kids in tow and bags falling off of carts, it’s not a relaxing way to start off the back-at-the-airport experience.

Skybus has set up shop in a trailer outside the main building. Easy to get to once you know where it is. Drive past the main building and you might see it to the right.

At check-in, because our boarding passes didn’t print all that well on our friend’s computer, the check-in person printed out new ones for us. I also had to unpack one bag to lower its weight by 7 pounds. The staff was pleasant about it while I hauled out the AeroBed. That became a carry-on.

Like the check-in area, the waiting area after airport security is also modest. Functional but simple. Unlike Columbus where most people milled about in line, in Bellingham people sat until their group number was called, possibly because the plane was late. Still, it’s casual and easy-going.

Once the plane arrived, there wasn’t a rush of activity. People came off the plane, and about the time the last bag of trash was unloaded, those in Group 1 were waiting to get on. Bring a sweater though, since we were waiting on a ramp outside the building for the go ahead to board. I thought about what this wait would be like when the weather turns cold. In this case, forget priority boarding. At least in Group 2 you have a longer time in the terminal. But, then you won’t get on the plane as fast since folks inside the plane take awhile to get seated and you’ll be stuck on the steps heading into the plane. Yep, when the temperature drops, bring that sweater.

Just like when we left Columbus, we squirreled away some snacks. You really aren’t supposed to, but when the plane took off, it turns out all there were only 5 cinnamon buns left and no breakfasts. Sandwiches sold out as well by the end of the flight. This time, I splurged and bought tea for $2 and a can of Minute Maid orange juice for $2. Tea is a great deal. I got three refills on hot water just to see if I could. I did tip $1 since the staff said tipping is appreciated. Here’s the Skybus menu.

If you’re wondering about those $10 tickets that Skybus advertises. They do exist. According to the staff, there are 10 seats per flight. Our tickets weren’t that cheap by a long shot. The base rate was $300. Priority boarding each way for each ticket and 4 bags, (1 per person) each way bumped the tickets up by $30 a piece. Then there’s the juice and the tea–add $4 more to the total. What I appreciated, though, is that as we added extras like baggage and priority boarding, the tally of how much our bill was coming out to was clearly posted on the Web site. Each of us had an amount next to our names and the total amount was at the bottom. There aren’t any surprises before you pay.

Friends of ours came in on Skybus from Bellingham the day after we did on time and parked their car at the airport there. We also ran into friends of ours by chance when we were in Seattle. They also had flown in on Skybus and was pleased so far.

About priority boarding–there weren’t many of us who paid for it, including those with younger children. I don’t think it’s a waste of money if you want some seat choice flexibility and to sit together. However, I don’t think it’ a stampede to get on the plane. For us who seat hop, the money was worth it. I started out sitting across the aisle by myself while my husband sat in the other aisle seat with our son between him and our daughter who sat next to the window. By the end of the flight, I had moved from the aisle to the middle seat, my daughter was on the aisle and my son was next to the window. The seat next to my husband was empty. Pay dirt.

If you want to find those cheap seats to Bellingham, here’s what I found. If you look in February 2008, you can find $50 tickets one-way. Not many, but there are some. Before that, you’ll see some $75 scattered about. Those $10 tickets? Lots of luck.