My experience on SkyBus

Today's post will fall under travel.

Last week, I went to a medical conference in Anaheim, CA. I had the opportunity to fly the new start-up airline SkyBus out of C0lumbus, OH. For those of you not familiar with SkyBus, they are a no-frills airline that offers at least 10 seats on every flight for $10 (plus taxes). As the plane fills, the price per seat escalates. They are able to keep fares low by taking different cost-cutting measures, such as automating the entire ticket-purchase process, using stairs to board and deboard the plane (instead of skywalks), and flying in and out of less-congested airports. They use a similar model to European airlines such as RyanAir. Since they are privately held, I don't have any idea as to how well their business model is working; however, they have expanded, which makes be believe they are becoming profitable.

These are some of my observations on the flight:
1. There is very little leg-room. I am a hair over 5'10" tall, and my knees were up against the seat in front of me.
2. The airline staff seems to be friendly and helpful.
3. The check-in process is all done on-line and is very efficient if you are taking carry-on baggage only. However, if one is checking bags in, the process is cumbersome. Even though you pre-pay to check bags, there are no skycabs at the curb.
4. You definitely get thirsty on the plane, so you will need to shell out at least $2 for a bottle of water, unless you can sneak a couple on board (buy at the airport AFTER going through security)

If one were to fly SkyBus, these are my reccomendations:
1. If you are able to plan your trip in advance, you will be able to get a cheap fare. The $10 tickets go quickly, but there are other cheap tickets available. If you sign up, you will receive an e-mail from the airline when new tickets go on sale, and you can snatch up the cheapest seats.
2. If you are flying alone or without kids, consider paying $10 for "priority boarding". THis will ensure you get an exit row with adequate leg room.
3. If you are flying with young children, DO NOT worry about getting "priority boarding", as you will get to board right after the first group.
4. Bring something to read. The only item available for reading on board is a small catalog of gift items available for purchase on the plane.
5. DO NOT MISS YOUR Flight. SkyBus has a "no cancellation" policy, which means if you miss your flight, you can't rebook. You lose the money you've spent, and you have to buy a new ticket.

Overall, I had a positive experience and will fly SkyBus in the future. Their prices are very reasonable and I don't mind some minor inconvenience given the amount of money I saved.

Your thoughts and opinions are always welcome