MEMpilot

Has anyone read the wikipedia article on Skybus?

I know we've talked about this before, but I was reading about how they planned to drive down costs and was quite surprised at all the things they planned to do. Apparently flight attendants will recieve low wages and will be working as duty-free 'salespeople' as well as attending to the duties of flight crew. By selling junk, they will work off the comission and in effect make more than the meager wage they're paid (Similar to waiting tables I suppose).

What do you guys think of Skybus' 'plans' independent of their relationship with the pilots? Apparently their model is similar to many Euro low-fare carriers. Is anyone familiar with those? I've only flown KLM over yonder.

STILL GROUNDED

I think it is the begining of the end. Its the start of a whole new era of sucking as a professional pilot. Just when things start looking up, someone thinks this is a good idea and runs forward, resume in hand. While seeing there own short term advantages they form a brotherhood of cheap skates willing to work for food. This in turn will bring other companys to compete by lowering wages and have there damn flight attedents who probrably won't be able to speak english selling crap so some bozo in flip flops and cut offs can fly from New York to LA for $29.00.

If you've been here awhile its no secret how I feel about this kind of crap. MESA is starting to look like a good place to work. Hell at least you have contract there that tells you exactly how you are about to get screwed.

Anybody that has the integrity to work for a place that is thoughtfull enough to come out and call themselves SKYBUS gets what they deserve. If you wanted to be a bus driver get the city job at least you'll be home every night.

I do like the sound of this though... "as well as attending to the duties of flight crew" what does that mean?

MEMpilot

In regard to my comment, I was thinking that by paying these flight attendants such low wages and then telling them "work off commission instead", it seems like it will start to detract from what a flight attendant is supposed to do, that is being someone who is attending to the safe operation of flight (in the cabin).

I'm curious to know about how the European low-fare airlines are pulling it off. Are European pilots flying for these airlines happy? Are they making a liveable income?

STILL GROUNDED

I agree completly. The focus should be on a safe flight, not having to listen to a sales pitch as a captive audience for 2 hours.

It's an unsafe environment and the airline should be shut down immediately!

FPG120

Not to mention a solid union, with a solid contract and pension plan...

alarkyokie

Wikipedia is one source I don't trust..too many unsubstantiated inputs that are taken for gospel, since it was on the web.

MEMpilot

I was skeptical of wiki too at one time, but on an NPR segment, they compared it against the Encylopedia Brittanica on numerous articles and found the two to be nearly identical. It's pretty solid on a lot of academic-type articles, but seems to be more subjective when it comes to current events.

Perhaps the Skybus article qualifies as being subjective? I'm not sure, that is why I wanted to get on here an get some feedback from people more knowledgeable on the airline.

Sioux39

There is post on airliners.net from someone who interviewed to be a flight attendent and he said that F/a's will be paid $9/hr+commision. My first job when I was in high school paid more than that.