news about cheap fares and airlines from travel search engine Trabber

The sudden demise of Skybus Airlines stranded some passengers and jets at Piedmont Triad International Airport Saturday. The low-cost airline shut down Saturday, making its last flight Friday night out of PTIA and leaving four jets sitting on the tarmac. Airline officials said the company plans to file for bankruptcy protection next week.

All passengers are eligible for full refunds on flights scheduled through Sept. 2. A message on the airline’s Web site Passengers holding reservations for Skybus flights scheduled to depart on or after Saturday should contact their credit card companies to arrange to apply for a refund.

source: tradingmarkets.com

Skybus Airlines Inc. is set on Monday to add nonstop service to the New York and Los Angeles areas from its North Carolina hub.

The Columbus-based discount airline said its hub at Greensboro, N.C.’s Piedmont Triad International Airport on Feb. 25 will begin two daily nonstop flights to Stewart International Airport, 55 miles north of New York, and one flight to Burbank’s Bob Hope International Airport.

Skybus began service to New York from Port Columbus International Airport in January, when it also cut one of its two daily flights to Burbank from Columbus.

source: bizjournals.com

Officials of Gary-bound Skybus Airlines are quick to compare their company to Ryanair, Europe’s fastest-growing carrier, touted as the “‘next generation'” of budget airline.

But its no-frills, take-it-or-leave-it attitude also has earned Ryanair the distinction of being Europe’s most-complained-about airline.

On March 13, Chicagoland will be introduced to the “‘next generation'” in ultra-low-fare flying, when Skybus flight 362 pulls up to the terminal at Gary/Chicago International Airport at 9:40 a.m

source: thetimesonline.com

Skybus Airlines will add even more flights to its new hub at Piedmont Triad International Airport and now plans flights to airports near Philadelphia and Chicago.

Beginning today, Skybus will sell tickets to the Philadelphia area via Wilmington, Del., and to Chicago via Gary, Ind., beginning March 13.

The airline will continue its policy of issuing 10 seats for $10 on every flight as long as they last.

source: news-record.com

All Skybus Airlines Inc. flights are back in business after damage to two planes in the discount airline’s fleet sparked cancellations for more than 1,000 travelers during the holiday.

Problems surfaced Christmas Day when the Columbus-based company cut its seven-plane fleet down to five after one airliner’s rear door was damaged when stairs were being set in place, Skybus spokesman Bob Tenenbaum said. A second plane’s fuselage was damaged while on the ground, an event whose cause is still unknown. The door damage was repaired in Columbus while the second plane was flown to Alabama for repairs and returned before Thursday morning.

source: Columbus Business First

After some 250 travelers were stranded Christmas Day, discount airline Skybus has canceled more flights out of Columbus, where the company is based.

Flights to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Bellingham, Washington, were scrubbed Wednesday morning.

The problems began a day earlier when a Skybus plane that flies to multiple cities each day was found to have a mechanical problem.

That triggered a chain of Christmas cancellations, sending customers scrambling to make alternative travel arrangements.

source: WTOL

Skybus Airlines Inc. has confirmed it is expanding outside the Columbus market with nonstop flights between Portsmouth, N.H., and two Florida airports.

The Columbus-based discount airline said Tuesday it will begin service from New Hampshire to St. Augustine, Fla., about 40 miles south of Jacksonville and 50 miles north of Daytona Beach; and Charlotte County Airport in Punta Gorda, Fla., about 30 miles northwest of Fort Myers.

source: Columbus Business First

After generating nationwide buzz with its $10 cross-country fares, ultra low-cost carrier Skybus is apparently ready to test its formula on international flights. The Columbus, Ohio-based carrier has applied to the Department of Transportation for the permission to begin flights to both Mexico and the Bahamas. In one of its federal filings, Skybus says it “‘plans to operate nonstop scheduled air service six days a week [Monday through Saturday] between Columbus and Nassau [in the Bahamas], and between Columbus and Cancun, commencing on or about Oct. 1, 2007. For this service, Skybus plans to utilize Airbus A-319-100 aircraft, currently in its fleet, with either 144 or 156 seats.'”

Skybus Airlines Inc. plans to boost service from Port Columbus International Airport to southern California, Florida and New England in mid-July.

The fledgling Columbus airline will add flights to San Diego starting July 16, as well as service to Westover Metropolitan Airport in Chicopee, Mass., to serve Hartford, Conn., and Springfield, Mass.

The low-cost carrier is scheduled to begin flying July 18 into St. Augustine (Fla.) Airport to serve Jacksonville and Daytona Beach. It will add a second daily nonstop flight to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., beginning July 16.

source: msn

Skybus Airlines’ bright orange Airbus A319 arrived in Bellingham this morning nearly full and left the same way less than an hour later.

Skybus, a startup, low-cost airline based in Columbus, Ohio, reported 137 passengers on its inbound flight from Columbus that arrived at Bellingham International Airport at about 8:45 a.m., and 124 departed for Columbus at about 9:20. The plane holds 144.

source: bellinghamherald.com