Low-cost Transatlantic Carrier To Begin Service

[whlinder]

Link to WashPost, registration required

A Northern Virginia company has received initial federal approval to form the first U.S.-based low-cost airline that would fly exclusively to international destinations, although it still must clear other regulatory and financial hurdles.

The Department of Transportation has given tentative approval to SkyLink Airways Inc., calling the new venture "fit, willing and able" to operate financially. But the Federal Aviation Administration must still approve its maintenance and safety plans.

The company has told the Transportation Department that it would like to start flying this spring, with flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Stansted Airport outside London.

The airline says it intends to fly wide-body Boeing 767s to as many as 15 countries on four continents.

The company, headed by longtime airline industry executive Kenneth T. Carlson, proposes to sell economy and business-class tickets at fares 15 to 70 percent lower than those offered by traditional carriers, SkyLink said in its filing with the Transportation Department.

Even if this fails, it is only a matter of time...

 

[lpbrian]

I just wonder how they will get ETOP's certification.

 

[SVQLBA]

Presumably they fly non-ETOP first (can still easily handle BWI-STN, even with the more northerly track) and then build up the record to get ETOPS. Adds a bit of cost early on, but doesn't stop them from doing what they want to do.

 

[bcp7]

If they use a proven ETOPS airframe, which includes the 767 series, and have senior maintnenance personnel with experience in ETOPS operations, they shouldn't have any problem at least getting a probationary certificate. Several small operations are doing ETOPS; Aloha Airlines with the 737-700, North American Airlines with the 757 among others and American Trans Air received one of the first approvals for ETOPS.

 

[AA191]

Let's not forget about AA and UA using 757's from the West Coast to the Hawaiian islands too.

 

[justajim67]

Let's not forget about AA and UA using 757's from the West Coast to the Hawaiian islands too.

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Anybody know anything about this company? I am invited for an F/A interview on tuesday the 5th of April. The rumor is a JFK base.

 

[whlinder]

Over on airliners.net, there are several threads about SkyLink, and one poster claims to be a SkyLink manager.

http://www.airliners.net/discussions/gener...main/1927292/6/

Not to promote a competing website, but you might get more of a response over there.

 

[HPearlyretiree]

Wasn't there one named Blue something or other that wanted to do this a few years back?

Airline startups without planes, people, routes or financing, are a dime a dozen, remember Onedia, Crystal, AirPortland (aka The Coast), Project Roam, Family Airlines, etc....

I'm sure I missed dozens.