| Making air travel "simple again" was one of the | | | | smiles and reassuring words. |
| themes I came away with at today's ribbon | | | | Fast forward to today, it was a "Back to the |
| cutting ceremony for SKYBUS Airlines at the St | | | | Future" experience for sure. The simplicity of |
| Johns County Airport in St Augustine, Florida. It | | | | traveling from point A to point B is just what the |
| was a dedication ceremony for the first | | | | doctor ordered for my stressed out life. No longer |
| commercial air terminal. SKYBUS introduced | | | | do I have to go to Jacksonville, Orlando or |
| commercial flights to St. Augustine on July 18, | | | | Daytona Beach to get a direct flight home. Call |
| 2007. The service is between Columbus, Ohio and | | | | me selfish, but there are hundreds of people |
| St. Augustine. | | | | joining me in this gleeful experience from the |
| Perhaps you might wonder why I would be so | | | | mid-West. The response (need) for this type of |
| excited about a commercial airline coming to St | | | | service has been so positive that SKYBUS Airlines |
| Augustine as a real estate professional. Beside the | | | | added a second daily flight between St Augustine |
| fact that I moved to St Augustine from | | | | and Columbus, Ohio and they have added a |
| Columbus, Ohio and the fact that I still own my | | | | service between Portsmouth, NH and St |
| home in Columbus, Ohio and that this makes | | | | Augustine. Both additional services begin |
| sense for me personally to have a convenient, | | | | December 17, 2007. Now I can easily go visit |
| cost-effective and simple solution for my own | | | | family in the Massachusetts area! |
| commuting needs, SKYBUS Airlines just makes it | | | | The whole idea about the amazingly low fares (at |
| so simple again! What this flight also does is | | | | least every flight has 10 seats priced at $10 and |
| provide simple access to Jacksonville, Daytona | | | | then goes up incrementally) is to provide the |
| Beach, and Orlando and other parts of Florida with | | | | average person an opportunity to fly for a |
| an easy drive from St Augustine from the | | | | reasonable cost. The fact is you have to really |
| mid-West! SKYBUS also has a direct flight to | | | | plan for future flights because the tickets go |
| Punta Gorda (Ft Myers) for those traveling to the | | | | quickly. |
| West Coast of Florida. | | | | At least four of my personal friends have flown |
| When I had my first flight at the age of 16, I | | | | on SKYBUS Airlines roundtrip already. |
| remember going out to a tarmac to board a | | | | Overwhelmingly they applauded the experience |
| plane at LaGuardia Airport in NY to fly directly to | | | | claiming it was the best flight experience they |
| North Carolina with my father. It was a thrilling | | | | have ever had!! Now that is a testimony many |
| moment and I remember walking up to the plane. | | | | other airlines would covet. |
| It looked so big! The props of the plane (there | | | | The air terminal for SKYBUS is nearly 12,000 |
| were very few jets back in the 60's) were | | | | square feet. It was built in a "record 54 days" at |
| gleaming in the sun. It filled me with wonder to | | | | a cost of about 1.6 million. The agreement |
| know just how this plane would ever get off the | | | | between SKYBUS and the St Augustine Airport |
| ground. The smell of the airplane fuel was | | | | Authority does allow the terminal to be shared by |
| overwhelming and the 2 stewardesses (they | | | | another airline if there is another commercial airline |
| were all female back then) greeted me with their | | | | that wants to fly to St. Augustine. |