I HATE Skybus!
Jun 5th, 2007, 08:32 AM
#41
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Yep, exactly lemidi. In hindsight, not only was my error in transposing my cities a big mistake, but buying the tickets from Skybus was even worse. (When I do something idiotic, I do it up big, apparently!) Anyway that's the reason I'm sharing it here. To remind others to be careful, and make sure there is fine print to read first! (Odd, used to always think that "reading the fine print" would be the thing to save me, not just making sure it's there in the first place! 
However, I will never agree with NewbE that a company posting its rules and then not honoring them is a "technicality." But we'll have to agree to disagree there I guess.
However, I will never agree with NewbE that a company posting its rules and then not honoring them is a "technicality." But we'll have to agree to disagree there I guess.
Jun 5th, 2007, 08:43 AM
#42
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I had a charter company fold the week before my scheduled trip. Yes, I got my refund...NO I couldn't find any deals on tickets at that date and I had all the other arrangements done. So I agree...with the comments from the OP and the queasy feeling I get about them, I wouldn't purchase a ticket in advance either!!
Jun 5th, 2007, 08:53 AM
#43
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Well, I think the only reason that might entice me to try this.....the $10 Meat Loaf Plate.....I never had meat loaf before I ate at a Black Eyed Pea Restaurant in Dallas some years ago....It was NOT $10....I dont think its even close to that today!!
Jun 5th, 2007, 09:03 AM
#44
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Beachboi, now that's just adding insult to injury! What's going to happen when I break it to my sister that she can't have the meatloaf plate?
By the way, I am still searching the website (hence the run-in with the meatloaf plate) and there seems to be no way to cancel a reservation, even though they explicitly say that you can. I emailed them a few hours ago and I haven't heard back, but assume this will be another round of "we didn't really mean it..."
By the way, I am still searching the website (hence the run-in with the meatloaf plate) and there seems to be no way to cancel a reservation, even though they explicitly say that you can. I emailed them a few hours ago and I haven't heard back, but assume this will be another round of "we didn't really mean it..."
Jun 5th, 2007, 09:08 AM
#45
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LB...I cannot tell you how meaningful your "mistake" has been.Many of my friends come to me for travel advice...Well, other things do....No, I am NOT "Dear Stephen".....but I can tell you that I willl NOT be sending anyone to Skybus.Wasnt there a PeoplesExpress back in the Dark Ages? The guy running SkyBus was an exec with the gone-by-the-wayside Eastern Airlines.I dont hold out much hope, but you have been most helpful.
Jun 5th, 2007, 09:08 AM
#46
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And Luna, more than their so-called change policy not being honored, I am really bothered by that fact that they are so grossly taking advantage of an obviously honest error.
This is why I get so nervous when it's time to fill in the blanks and hit the enter key when booking flights. We should not be made to feel this stress when booking simple airline tickets.
I already hate that the airlines have the upper hand with the nonrefundable tickets, change fees and all the other fine print blah, blah, blah...but yours was clearly not a change of plans but an error. Ugh, this burns me.
I hope your credit card company will honor your dispute if you supply a copy of all e-mails and then copies of your new Delta tickets. Good luck.
This is why I get so nervous when it's time to fill in the blanks and hit the enter key when booking flights. We should not be made to feel this stress when booking simple airline tickets.
I already hate that the airlines have the upper hand with the nonrefundable tickets, change fees and all the other fine print blah, blah, blah...but yours was clearly not a change of plans but an error. Ugh, this burns me.
I hope your credit card company will honor your dispute if you supply a copy of all e-mails and then copies of your new Delta tickets. Good luck.
Jun 5th, 2007, 09:19 AM
#47
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Glad to be of service! Oh wait... 
The craziest part too - and this is the cherry on top - is that I tried to give them MORE money to fix my error (to the tune of $160) and get the flights I needed and they wouldn't take it. What kind of business plan is that? The whole thing baffles me on so many levels I just have trouble taking it all in.
The craziest part too - and this is the cherry on top - is that I tried to give them MORE money to fix my error (to the tune of $160) and get the flights I needed and they wouldn't take it. What kind of business plan is that? The whole thing baffles me on so many levels I just have trouble taking it all in.
Jun 6th, 2007, 06:57 AM
#50
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Update: Despite the fact that it says all over Skybus's website that you can CANCEL your reservation (and lead you to believe that you can do exactly what Beachboi outlined earlier about cancellations), when I requested to cancel my ticket, below is the reply I got. This is in addition to their misleading wording about CHANGING your ticket. Does anybody know a good lawyer?
"Thank you for contacting Skybus.
Please note that, all Skybus fares are non-refundable. There are only two exceptions:
-You may request a refund if we cancel a flight (for example, due to bad weather).
-Any refunds requested prior to May 11, 2007, which is when Skybus received our federal certification to fly, will be honored.
Although refunds are not allowed, you may change your Skybus Trip for a $40 change fee per passenger, per flight segment – plus any fare difference if the new fare is higher (there is no refund if the new fare is lower). From the Skybus Home Page, click the “View/Change Reservation” tab in the lower left portion of the screen, then enter the requested information and click the “go” button.
Please note that “Extras” like Priority Boarding, Trip Insurance, and Flight Status Alerts are also non-refundable."
OMIGOD! HOW CAN THEY SAY RIGHT THERE IN BLACK AND WHITE ON THEIR WEBSITE THAT TICKETS CAN BE CANCELLED, AND THEN FOLLOW IT UP WITH THIS CRAP AFTER THE TICKET HAS BEEN PURCHASED!?!
"Thank you for contacting Skybus.
Please note that, all Skybus fares are non-refundable. There are only two exceptions:
-You may request a refund if we cancel a flight (for example, due to bad weather).
-Any refunds requested prior to May 11, 2007, which is when Skybus received our federal certification to fly, will be honored.
Although refunds are not allowed, you may change your Skybus Trip for a $40 change fee per passenger, per flight segment – plus any fare difference if the new fare is higher (there is no refund if the new fare is lower). From the Skybus Home Page, click the “View/Change Reservation” tab in the lower left portion of the screen, then enter the requested information and click the “go” button.
Please note that “Extras” like Priority Boarding, Trip Insurance, and Flight Status Alerts are also non-refundable."
OMIGOD! HOW CAN THEY SAY RIGHT THERE IN BLACK AND WHITE ON THEIR WEBSITE THAT TICKETS CAN BE CANCELLED, AND THEN FOLLOW IT UP WITH THIS CRAP AFTER THE TICKET HAS BEEN PURCHASED!?!
Jun 6th, 2007, 02:34 PM
#53
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Okay, on to the next step! I officially registered my complaint with the Better Business Bureau today and have asked for a full refund.
I mean let's face it: even if I were able to twist their arm, begging and pleading with them to let me give them more money (lots more money!) to be treated like crap on their big cattle drive in the sky, there is absolutely no way in he*l I would ever get on - or let my relatives get on - a Skybus airplane. So no point in trying to beat that dead horse.
In addition to the $500 I have already paid Skybus, I tried to pay them an additional $160 (plus possible additional costs, if the fares for a round trip itinerary for CMH-SEA came out to be a higher cost than SEA-CMH) to change my current, unusable itinerary. They would not help me.
I then tried to pay them an additional $160 (plus possible additional costs) to cancel my current, unusable itinerary and replace it with one I can actually use. They would not help me.
Their website says I can change OR cancel my ticket. And their employees acknowledge the fact that they don't give the consumer the real rules beforehand because it's too hard to list them all. Unconscionable, unbelievable.
Not only are they liars, they are idiots. What kind of company wouldn't take loads more money for a person to make things somewhat right for everybody, but really really right for themselves?
Yep I made a mistake. But I went into this thing thinking that if (a) I made a mistake, or (b) needed to change my itinerary down the road, I would be able to for a fee, based on the false information they're providing on their site.
If there's any justice in the world their pants will all be catching on fire right...about...NOW!
I mean let's face it: even if I were able to twist their arm, begging and pleading with them to let me give them more money (lots more money!) to be treated like crap on their big cattle drive in the sky, there is absolutely no way in he*l I would ever get on - or let my relatives get on - a Skybus airplane. So no point in trying to beat that dead horse.
In addition to the $500 I have already paid Skybus, I tried to pay them an additional $160 (plus possible additional costs, if the fares for a round trip itinerary for CMH-SEA came out to be a higher cost than SEA-CMH) to change my current, unusable itinerary. They would not help me.
I then tried to pay them an additional $160 (plus possible additional costs) to cancel my current, unusable itinerary and replace it with one I can actually use. They would not help me.
Their website says I can change OR cancel my ticket. And their employees acknowledge the fact that they don't give the consumer the real rules beforehand because it's too hard to list them all. Unconscionable, unbelievable.
Not only are they liars, they are idiots. What kind of company wouldn't take loads more money for a person to make things somewhat right for everybody, but really really right for themselves?
Yep I made a mistake. But I went into this thing thinking that if (a) I made a mistake, or (b) needed to change my itinerary down the road, I would be able to for a fee, based on the false information they're providing on their site.
If there's any justice in the world their pants will all be catching on fire right...about...NOW!
Jun 7th, 2007, 08:41 AM
#54
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Luna, sorry, but I have to disagree w/you on just about all points. If you did any kind of even cursory news search prior to buying your tickets, you would have seen that Skybus, as others have pointed out, is modeled on Ryanair. If you continue & do a news search on Ryanair, you'll pull up a plethora of stories about their draconian policies. Multiple news stories have made it clear that Skybus has no customer service lines, they have no interline agreements with other carriers, you pay a fee for just about everything, and on and on.
In air travel, the bottom line is the airline's Contract of Carriage, which is almost always buried away on some obscure part of their web site. Here's the pertinent ones on Skybus':
Refunds
All Skybus reservations are non-refundable, except in the following circumstances:
Flight cancellations and schedule changes-
a. You will be entitled to a refund of any unused portion of fare, if your flight is cancelled on or before the date of travel, or is delayed or rescheduled for more than 3 (three) hours before or after the original departure time.
b. If no portion of your reservation has been used, this refund shall constitute the fare paid plus any associated taxes, fees and charges paid to Skybus.
c. If a portion of your reservation has been used, the refund shall be not less than the difference between the fare paid and the applicable fare for travel between the points for which the reservation has been used plus any associated taxes, fees, and charges paid in respect of that part of the journey not undertaken.
6. Fares and Reservations
6.1 Fares
Fares apply only for carriage from the airport of origin to the airport of destination.
6.2 Flight Changes
Flight dates and times within the same city pair are changeable subject to availability upon payment of a change fee of $40.00 (forty dollars) (or local currency equivalent), per person, plus any additional fare difference. If the total price is lower on the new flight, no refund will be made. Changes, subject to availability, can be made up to thirty (30) minutes prior to the originally scheduled departure time of your outbound journey on www.skybus.com.
There you go. Chalk this one up to "buyer beware" -- you need to FULLY research what you are getting into PRIOR to purchasing a ticket.
I booked a weekend fare special on DL a few years ago from DCA - CMH. I entered the wrong date. DL did not change my reservations, as per the terms of the fare. I had to buy a whole new ticket. Most carriers will change a mistake if asked to immediately after booking, but when it comes down to it, virtually all have policies stating that their cheap fares are nonrefundable, nonchangeable, etc.
If you want to argue that Skybus is not employing a good customer service model, then fine. But if you had done your homework, you would have realized that they are not for people who want good (i.e. traditional legacy carrier) service; they are for people who want ultra-cheap fares and who are willing to make drastic sacrifices to get them. It's like going into Wal-Mart and expecting Neiman-Marcus service. Sorry!
In air travel, the bottom line is the airline's Contract of Carriage, which is almost always buried away on some obscure part of their web site. Here's the pertinent ones on Skybus':
Refunds
All Skybus reservations are non-refundable, except in the following circumstances:
Flight cancellations and schedule changes-
a. You will be entitled to a refund of any unused portion of fare, if your flight is cancelled on or before the date of travel, or is delayed or rescheduled for more than 3 (three) hours before or after the original departure time.
b. If no portion of your reservation has been used, this refund shall constitute the fare paid plus any associated taxes, fees and charges paid to Skybus.
c. If a portion of your reservation has been used, the refund shall be not less than the difference between the fare paid and the applicable fare for travel between the points for which the reservation has been used plus any associated taxes, fees, and charges paid in respect of that part of the journey not undertaken.
6. Fares and Reservations
6.1 Fares
Fares apply only for carriage from the airport of origin to the airport of destination.
6.2 Flight Changes
Flight dates and times within the same city pair are changeable subject to availability upon payment of a change fee of $40.00 (forty dollars) (or local currency equivalent), per person, plus any additional fare difference. If the total price is lower on the new flight, no refund will be made. Changes, subject to availability, can be made up to thirty (30) minutes prior to the originally scheduled departure time of your outbound journey on www.skybus.com.
There you go. Chalk this one up to "buyer beware" -- you need to FULLY research what you are getting into PRIOR to purchasing a ticket.
I booked a weekend fare special on DL a few years ago from DCA - CMH. I entered the wrong date. DL did not change my reservations, as per the terms of the fare. I had to buy a whole new ticket. Most carriers will change a mistake if asked to immediately after booking, but when it comes down to it, virtually all have policies stating that their cheap fares are nonrefundable, nonchangeable, etc.
If you want to argue that Skybus is not employing a good customer service model, then fine. But if you had done your homework, you would have realized that they are not for people who want good (i.e. traditional legacy carrier) service; they are for people who want ultra-cheap fares and who are willing to make drastic sacrifices to get them. It's like going into Wal-Mart and expecting Neiman-Marcus service. Sorry!
Jun 7th, 2007, 09:23 AM
#55
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Well this is good because this is the part I could never find, and you're right about changing origin cities.
However, nowhere in that wording does it say anything restricting my ability to cancel my flight. In another section of the website it specifically says I CAN cancel my flight, for $40 a segment. (Not to confuse this with a refund. Simply paying the ding fees and being able to apply the original balance to the new itinerary. I didn't ask for a refund.) I'm still convinced there's a lapse there.
However, fortunately/unfortunately it's not up to either of us, at this point. Still got my fingers crossed for the BBB!
However, nowhere in that wording does it say anything restricting my ability to cancel my flight. In another section of the website it specifically says I CAN cancel my flight, for $40 a segment. (Not to confuse this with a refund. Simply paying the ding fees and being able to apply the original balance to the new itinerary. I didn't ask for a refund.) I'm still convinced there's a lapse there.
However, fortunately/unfortunately it's not up to either of us, at this point. Still got my fingers crossed for the BBB!
Jun 8th, 2007, 03:25 AM
#56
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My family and I have a set of $10 flights booked on Skybus (St Augustine/Columbus) in September (if they last that long).
We have flown on Ryanair, Easyjet and Skyeurope in Europe before and we are prepared for the cattlecar treatment. Skybus may be taking it to a higher level of abuse in that the flight attendants seem to be paid comission to sell food ,drinks, pillows and blankets ( I'm going to take earplugs this time).
Your experience is the sort of thing one expects when one deals with Ryanair, but one would think that a startup company would want to generate some goodwill. Perhaps a copy of the reactions on this thread sent to the appropriate Skybus management would help your situation.
For what we paid, I wasn't concerned with the change policies. I just hope we can go, and more importantly, come back more or less on time...
Rick
We have flown on Ryanair, Easyjet and Skyeurope in Europe before and we are prepared for the cattlecar treatment. Skybus may be taking it to a higher level of abuse in that the flight attendants seem to be paid comission to sell food ,drinks, pillows and blankets ( I'm going to take earplugs this time).
Your experience is the sort of thing one expects when one deals with Ryanair, but one would think that a startup company would want to generate some goodwill. Perhaps a copy of the reactions on this thread sent to the appropriate Skybus management would help your situation.
For what we paid, I wasn't concerned with the change policies. I just hope we can go, and more importantly, come back more or less on time...
Rick
Jun 8th, 2007, 10:54 AM
#57
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Just read through all of this.
Am I missing something? I understand them to say you can't change arrival and departure cities but can't you change the dates for the flight?
Can you change the date for flight 270 to August 9th and change the date for flight 271 to August 20th??
Wouldn't that get what you need done and for the $40 fee per segment?
Maybe I am not getting it, but I thought I would put this out there, just in case.
Debi
Am I missing something? I understand them to say you can't change arrival and departure cities but can't you change the dates for the flight?
Can you change the date for flight 270 to August 9th and change the date for flight 271 to August 20th??
Wouldn't that get what you need done and for the $40 fee per segment?
Maybe I am not getting it, but I thought I would put this out there, just in case.
Debi
Jun 8th, 2007, 11:03 AM
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Debi, this would have worked, had it been in the same city pair (i.e. SEA-CMH). Luna wanted to book CMH-SEA, thus, it does not apply, as per the terms of the Contract of Carriage.
Luna, unfortunately, unless they state something completely contradictory to what their Contract of Carriage says, the Contract reigns supreme over anything else. Sorry!
Luna, unfortunately, unless they state something completely contradictory to what their Contract of Carriage says, the Contract reigns supreme over anything else. Sorry!
Jun 8th, 2007, 11:37 AM
#59
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LT - I hear you, but I don't think that's the effect of what Debi is suggesting. She's not changing the city pair. It's still SEA - CMH and in fact the departure/arrival cities stay the same. It's just the dates that get changed. So the SEA to CMH gets changed from 8/9 to 8/20 and CMH to SEA gets changed from 8/20 to 8/9.
Mission accomplished. Right Debi?
Mission accomplished. Right Debi?
Jun 8th, 2007, 12:57 PM
#60
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Dfr and Debi you both may be right because I think the skybus fares are one way fares and are not contingent upon booking round trip. SO, if in fact they are one way fares simply booked for convenience on one ticket then technically one should be able to change the dates as you both have suggested.
