With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Skybus Airlines Goes Belly-Up; No More Bargain Basement Burbank-to-Columbus, OH Flights For Us
Just weeks after announcing the addition of more flights from Burbank Airport, discount airline Skybus is closing down today and plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The shutdown was revealed late yesterday; all flights were completed Friday, but the airline had flights scheduled through to September 2, reports the Daily News.
Skybus was an airline with a lofty mission to provide lower-cost air travel between second- and third-tier destinations in the continental United States. They attracted a lot of attention for their innovative practice of letting a few seats on each flight go for $10. They operated two daily flights out of Burbank's Bob Hope Airport, and enjoyed a modest popularity (for those interested in traveling to either Columbus, Ohio or Greensborough, North Carolina) in their first months of operation: "At the Burbank airport, Skybus had 92,928 passengers in 2007." The rising cost of fuel had a serious impact on the less-than-a-year-old Ohio-based company, and maintenance issues forced them to cancel flights during the 2007 Christmas holidays.
News of the shutdown and impending bankruptcy means the company's 450 employees are now jobless, and many passengers must now rebook and recoup their payments for the flights. Skybus says passengers are eligible for refunds, and must do so through their credit card companies.
Sponsor
Earlier this week, Aloha Airlines shutdown their operations, and ran their last flights in and out of Los Angeles International Airport.
Photo by marada via Flickr
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
