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.