No wing, no prayer
Saturday's lead editorial.
Smothered into submission by high fuel prices, a teetering economy and steep losses, Skybus announced Friday night that its hopeful experiment in discount travel had ended —less than a year after its takeoff in the Triad.
The Columbus, Ohio-based airline's demise was hardly a surprise. That it happened so quickly was.
The recent news had been ominous. The company's affable CEO and founder, Bill Diffenderffer, stepped down only last week to resume a career writing books. When the resignation of the airline's vice president of operations, Bud Sittig, followed on Thursday, the end seemed nearer.
But not that near.
Then the air carrier suddenly ceased operations Friday. Company officials said it would file for bankruptcy protection Monday.
The latest, best hope for competitive air fares at PTI Airport went with it. The only other discount carrier at PTI, Allegiant Air, will close its operations at the airport May 31.
This is very bad news for PTI. The airport needs discount carriers to remain competitive with the airports in Raleigh and Charlotte. Low-price airlines not only offer affordable alternatives but tend to drive down fares among the larger, more traditional "legacy airlines."
Skybus was making a promising impact on passenger traffic at PTI, with its limited offers of 10 seats for $10 on every flight. Now it is gone.
Skybus debuted in Greensboro, selected as its second "focus city," last May 22. Company executives back then confidently trumpeted the airline's simple but clever formula for success: If you needed to get from here to there on time, cheaply, with no frills, they were your airline. Any extra service -- checked baggage, refreshments, etc. -- would cost you more, a la carte.
Skybus sought to entice employees with company stock and commissions for whatever products they sold in-flight.
Now all 450 workers, approximately 100 in Greensboro, are out of work.
When asked in a News & Record interview last year about the threat of high jet fuel prices, Diffenderffer predicted the company's fleet of 11 new, bright-orange Airbus A319s would offer an edge over other airlines whose fleets were older and less fuel-efficient. He was mistaken.
Meanwhile, the airport will have to renew the weary search for a discount carrier who will succeed here and stay here.
Still, PTI was right to seek a partnership with Skybus, and Triad leaders were right to unite in luring the air carrier. The Skybus experiment was a worthy pursuit that could have worked in a different climate, at a different time.
Comments (1)
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Greensboro and Triad officials and leaders should now seriously consider renewing communication ties with AirTran, and work on getting them back with flights (at least one) at Piedmont Triad Airport, in my opinion. AirTran is now one of the top 5 airlines in customer satisfaction, and why shouldn't a great low-cost carrier (AirTran) reconsider a return to the Triad region? With the arrival of the new FedEx hub within the year, and increasing growth not seen when AirTran flew out of PTIA the last time they were here, they might do better the second time around. I strongly believe that PTIA has nothing to lose by courting this great carrier again! Despite the Skybus tragedy, the airline showed all of us that low-cost flying can work in our region, and with great success! To our leaders and officials: Please don't give up on finding the right one, and don't be afraid to encourage AirTran to come back our way and feel right at home on the Triad tarmac! From someone who once flew on AirTran from PTIA a few times, this carrier is a good fit for our region, and needs to land here soon!
Posted on April 10, 2008 2:26 AM