But Some Passengers Say They Won't Be Along For The Ride

Upstart ultra-low-cost carrier Skybus still plans to expand service at North Carolina's Piedmont Triad International Airport in coming weeks, despite the setback caused by cancelled flights on Christmas Day.

Skybus stranded holiday travelers when it canceled eight Christmas Day flights in and out of Columbus, OH due to mechanical problems. Ten more flights were cancelled the next day, victims of the domino effect to the fledgling airline's relatively small operation, and minimalist approach.

"Clearly it was a very regrettable situation and made more regrettable by the fact that it was Christmas Day," Skybus spokesman Bob Tenenbaum told the News-Record. "The airplane doesn't know it's Christmas Day, but the people do. Safety is the first consideration."

Aggravating the situation for the up-to-1,200 passengers affected was the fact that Skybus handles customer service only through its website, and has no reservation agents or even phone lines.

The airline also has no cooperative agreements with other airlines to find alternate flights for passengers. That miffed some passengers, but Tenenbaum is unapologetic. He says the policies are clear, and passengers need to know what they're buying.

"It's incumbent upon the airline to make sure that information's available," Tenenbaum said. "And frankly I think it's incumbent upon passengers to know what they're buying. Skybus may not be for everybody. But people who are uncomfortable with that probably need to look elsewhere."

One former Skybus passenger she intends to do exactly that from now on, thank you very much.

"We'll never fly Skybus again. Things happen, but they have to have a backup plan," said Amber Ankowski, whose Burbank-to-Columbus flight was canceled. "It's unacceptable putting all those people out." Ankowski later scored a flight on JetBlue, thanks to a family connection.

Despite the problems, at least one analyst called Skybus's woes relatively common for a new airline.

"I don't think it's a PR disaster," said Anthony Tangorra, an airline consultant and chief executive officer of Latitude Transport Advisory. "I think it's a step on the learning curve for the public about Skybus and low-cost airlines like them and their service."

FMI: www.skybus.com