The Dispatch wrote Skybus throttles back on growth
Thursday, March 13, 2008
BY AMY SAUNDERS AND MARLA MATZER ROSE
Skybus Airlines is slowing its rate of expansion and will cut flights because of rising fuel costs and fears of a recession. But the Columbus-based airline said it will add some flights, too, when it announces plans within two weeks for service beginning in August.
With oil prices trading at times above $110 a barrel — and some experts predicting that it will pass $120 — “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that growing as aggressively as we wanted to grow isn’t particularly wise,” said Bill Diffenderffer, Skybus chief executive.
Diffenderffer said that when tickets are offered for sale beyond the current block, which ends July 31, there will be changes. He declined to discuss specifics, but he said Skybus will cut at least a couple of destinations where sales have not been strong and will fly less frequently to some places. He said flights will be added on profitable routes, making an equal number of “pluses and minuses.”
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