R.I.P Skybus

Dear Skybus:
You'll be greatly missed by many of us here on the seacoast.  Many of us would have gladly paid a couple of hundred dollars more per ticket to fly your airline, and we're saddened by your passing.  It was much quicker than expected:

Mike Boyd of the Colorado-based Boyd Group also has been a critic of the Skybus model, but he expressed surprise at the swiftness of the airline's demise.

"They had a dumb model. The original plan never had a chance, at $50-a-barrel oil or $100-a-barrel oil," he said. "But I really thought someone could come in and turn it around. The pressures on airlines today are very different than they have been in the past. They're shutting down suddenly now to preserve whatever assets they have for the creditors."

Condolences to the wonderful Skybus employees who are unemployed, effective immediately.  They were unfailingly courteous, upbeat and committed to the customers:

A Skybus pilot on the Biloxi flight informed travelers of their dilemma even though the company hadn't announced its intentions yet, saying he couldn't take off in good conscience knowing that some families might be stranded.

Life on the road is getting tougher and tougher. Skybus is the fourth airline to fold this week.  Other more established airlines have cut back routes and offered severance packages to long-time employees, in an effort to off-set $100.00 per barrel oil.   

If you are one of the stranded Skybus passengers you should know:

• Contact your credit-card company to request a refund. Skybus will file for bankruptcy Monday and will not provide refunds itself.

• The company does not have agreements with other airlines and will not provide alternative transportation.

• If you bought trip insurance through Skybus after March 5, you should make a claim to the insurance company (AIG TravelGuard) for any travel expenses you incurred that resulted from cancellation of your trip. The newer policy provides up to $250 in coverage, less the cost of your ticket. Travel insurance bought before that date does not cover airline bankruptcy.