Tre nye aktoerer ...

[LN-MOW]

Travel Weekly/USA Today har sett litt naermere paa tre selskaper som proever aa komme i luften.


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U.S. skies could soon be crowded by more discounters

Even with the nation’s skies full of growing low-cost carriers like Southwest, AirTran, JetBlue and others, at least one industry observer thinks the U.S. marketplace has room for more. “There’s an opportunity for lower-fare new entrants in the U.S.,” Anthony Tangorra, CEO of Latitude Transport Advisory, said recently at the World Low Cost Airlines Congress in Miami. Tangorra noted that European low-cost giant Ryanair charges half as much for a ticket as Southwest, and says there’s nothing about the USA that would make it a higher-cost market than Europe. But Tangorra’s proposition that the U.S. could support more discounters “may soon be tested by several proposed airlines,” writes Travel Weekly (free registration). The publication notes that Virgin America, Skybus and Air Gumbo are all start-up companies hoping to enter the nation’s low-cost aviation marketplace. So far, none are flying. Read below to find out more...
Posted at 08:15 AM/ET, Jul 10, 2006 in Air Gumbo, Skybus, Virgin America | Permalink | Comments (0)
So who are these proposed start-up airlines?


Travel Weekly says Louisiana-based Air Gumbo “has been persistently pursuing its plan since 1998 despite seeing it derailed by (both) 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina.” CEO Ralston Champagnie envisions an airline that serves Louisiana with Bombardier regional jets, offering service from New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport “to neighboring and nearby states,” according to Travel Weekly. If Air Gumbo gets off the ground –- Champagnie was at June's World Low Cost Airlines Congress “amid a new fund-raising effort” –- the carrier’s planes would feature a Louisiana-centric “gumbo design” on its aircraft and would serve gumbo onboard and play jazz music in lounge areas. When asked about the possibility of going up against a discount giant like Southwest -– one of New Orleans’ top carriers –- Champagnie said: “I think there’s still lots and lots of room [for new entrants].” He adds the he hopes to file for DOT approval this year and have the carrier flying by 2007.

Travel Weekly writes that “Skybus already is billing itself as ‘America’s Ultra-Low Fare Airline.’" The carrier is based in Columbus, Ohio, and in March received DOT approval to fly, according to the publication. Despite the approval, however, the carrier has not yet announced routes or a flight schedule. The airline apparently hopes to introduce a Ryanair-like operation for U.S. fliers. “Skybus reportedly plans to outsource everything it can and has been pushing uncrowded airports to provide big incentives and price breaks to win Skybus service,” Travel Weekly writes. “But the latter strategy, which Ryanair has used to great effect in Europe, is not being greeted warmly by airports here,” insiders tell the publication. Travel Weekly also writes that some insiders say “there has been some disgruntlement and disagreement over Skybus’ proposed routes.”

You’ve probably already heard about Virgin America, the Richard Branson-backed low-cost carrier that’s struggled to get off the ground amid foreign-ownership concerns. Travel Weekly writes that Brian Clark, Virgin America’s vice president of planning and sales, “proclaimed confidence his airline would get off the ground in 2007, if not this year. But he didn’t reveal more about its strategy.”
Posted at 08:11 AM/ET, Jul 10, 2006 '''

[Isbamse]

Jess - there IS a sucker born every minute!

(Sorry for å rappe replikken din, CK )

[LN-MOW]

Kan jo legge til nettadressens deres:

Air Gumbo
Skybus
Virgin America

[LCH]

Hmm, kanksje jeg skal starte Air Lapskaus, og ha trekkspill og haringfele musikk i loungene? Hadde sikkert blitt en hit...

[Someone]

Mens verken Skybus eller Virgin America finnes lenger, så har Air Gumbo oppdatert hjemmesidene sine. Men det handler vel mest om å få fatt i andres penger....

https://airgumbo.com/index.html

[Desk pilot]

Facebooksiden deres er iallefall en dårlig spøk...
https://www.facebook.com/airgumbo/