Its said that the quickest way to become a millionaire is to invest a billion in an airline. After today’s news story on Skybus and Allegiant Air, I have to think that’s true. While I’m all for more low-cost airlines, Skybus and Allegiant Air have made the boneheaded decision to charge people to check their bags.
Do what, now? Didn’t the airlines spend years petitioning the FAA to limit customer carry-ons to two bags in an effort to encourage more checked baggage? Now they want to charge extra for checked baggage?
Did anyone with any actual flying experience think this out? Did it occur to anyone that this stupid policy will only encourage people to drag more of their bags onboard, where the same bags will fight for bin space? Did they consider that all that extra carry-on baggage will almost surely translate into late departures and increased delays at security screening?
Skybus’s stupidity doesn’t stop at their baggage policy, either. Firstly, their hub is Columbus, OH, where weather delays and cancellations will likely be a problem. Planes don’t make money on the ground. If that wasn’t enough, Skybus has no such thing as a connecting flight: to get anywhere other than Columbus requires an overnight in Columbus.
The paper said Skybus’s backers are confident Skybus will survive based on its $160 million in the bank. It seems that Independence Air had that cash, too. See how long that lasted?
I’m sure other, evil airlines like Northwest love the extra-cost-for-what-was-once-free model. They’re probably thankful for Skybus for starting the practice. Once Skybus craters, Northwest and their ilk will happily jack up their fares again and keep nickel-and-diming their customers.
Is Virgin America here yet? Any airline that is vigorously opposed by airline dinosaurs like American, Delta, and Continental can only be a good one.
It all makes sense when you consider part B of the plan is to charge $5 per carry on bag 🙂