I told my boss about Skybus, and he browsed the website. He clicked on the "Vacation Packages" tab and saw very inexpensive Disney tickets and accommodations. Having a six year old son, he was pretty enthused about this.
Clicking on any of the links takes you to a page instructing you to make a call. Even the pages with "Book Now!" buttons take you to a page with a phone number. Well, he called.
The person who answered the phone first informed him he could only buy one ticket, and then proceded to promptly pepper him with questions:
(1) Are you single or married?
(2) How much money do you make?
(3) Where do you live?
(4) How many children do you have?
Naturally, he lied about all of them and then terminated the call. Why would you need this information to sell tickets? Well, you wouldn't, of course.
The "Vacation Packages" on Skybus' website are nothing of the sort. They're just a sucker's bet to get you into a time share presentation. So, while the Hotels tab and others appear to genuinely help you book a product, the Vacation Packages tab does not. Sure, it indicates that you can get these low rates because of their close relationships with the hotels. But it's really just a way to pull you into a timeshare sales pitch.
Christianity. Islam. Hinduism. Anthropogenic Global Warming. All are matters of faith!
BY188B From United Kingdom (England), joined Jul 2003, 602 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 4652 times:
Dont go giving Ryanair ideas!!
Next flights :EZY LGW-SXF, FR SXF-STN, SK LHR-ARN-LHR, LH LHR-TXL-LHR, BA LHR-CPT-LHR 744 J
MSYtristar From United States, joined Aug 2005, 5130 posts, RR: 53 Reply 2, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 4636 times:
Wow, I'd say that's borderline misleading if that's the case. If you are going to be questioned like a prisoner in North Korea, you might as well be made aware of it beforehand. That's a pretty poor busines practice...maybe effective, who knows...but poor nonetheless.
Join the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport enthusiast group on Facebook.
Clickhappy From United States, joined Sep 2001, 8620 posts, RR: 75 Reply 3, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 4609 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW PHOTO SCREENER
Wow, no kidding. The Vacations tab goes the hotelscorp.us and/or hotelscorp.com
From those websites:
VACATION PACKAGES
Reservations based upon availability and good to 2 adults and up to 2 children. Offer limited to individuals between the ages of 30-68 with an annual household income of at least $50,000, and must attend a 90-minute sales presentation (120 minutes in Las Vegas). If married both husband and wife must attend presentation together. Failure to qualify and attend the sales presentation will result in a penalty equal to the retail cost of your vacation package. All participants must check in at the VIP Welcome Center upon arrival and must present a major credit card and photo I.D. When you get to the resort, the front desk will place a pre-authorized (not a charge) on your credit card. If you do not have a credit card, a $200 cash deposit is required. Check Cards are not accepted. Rates are slightly higher during peak and holiday seasons. Blackout dates may apply. Additional nights and attraction tickets are available at discounted prices. Additional person charges apply. Accommodations with affiliate hotels are provided in partnership with Central Florida Investments (CFI), HotelsCorp.com. and Westgate Resorts, Ltd. All reservations are subject to availability and based on a first come, first served basis.
So if you are younger than 30, older than 68, or don't make $50k you are ineligble for these "deals."
WOW
Bust a Travis Bickle when I feel that I'm getting pushed
Sort of defeats the purpose there doesn't it? If I went there with just me, myself, and I, I think it would be sort of odd if I went up to Goofy and asked for his autograph with no kid to give it to. Of course, I could just pretend that I had an imaginary friend, but that might not work out so well....
Quoting Clickhappy (Reply 3): So if you are younger than 30, older than 68, or don't make $50k you are ineligble for these "deals."
Well, strike me out then. What a strange airline.
Join the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport enthusiast group on Facebook.
DAYflyer From United States, joined Sep 2004, 3807 posts, RR: 6 Reply 6, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 4400 times:
What a load of bait and switch crap. This airline will lead itself straight to it's own demise with this kind of nonsense. If that happens, it certainly will get what it deserves.
MaverickM11 From United States, joined Apr 2000, 11254 posts, RR: 47 Reply 7, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 4304 times:
Quoting ContnlEliteCMH (Thread starter): The "Vacation Packages" on Skybus' website are nothing of the sort. They're just a sucker's bet to get you into a time share presentation.
Airlinebrat From United States, joined Jan 2005, 549 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 3747 times:
I bet if you purchase plane tickets via their website, your e-mail address will receive a mountain of spam, your home phone will be barraged with telesales and junk mail will start filling your mailbox. All for your convenience, of course
I'm leavin on a jet plane. Don't know when I'll be back again....
Turpentyine From United States, joined Mar 2006, 148 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 3704 times:
Next thing you know they'll be selling your emails and phone #s to spammers and telemarketers. Then they'll try to get you to sign up for one of those get a "free ipod" deals, or how about a fill out surveys from home job. To top it all off they'll post a letter on their site "written" by some poor Nigerian seeking your assistance in transferring funds. LMAO!!!
Turpentyine From United States, joined Mar 2006, 148 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 3696 times:
Quoting Airlinebrat (Reply 9): I bet if you purchase plane tickets via their website, your e-mail address will receive a mountain of spam, your home phone will be barraged with telesales and junk mail will start filling your mailbox. All for your convenience, of course
AirlineBrat From United States, joined Jan 2005, 549 posts, RR: 1 Reply 14, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 3660 times:
How long did you have to sit through the high pressure sales pitch to 'earn' those new toys? I don't think I would have the patience. Now that I think of it, we may have the makings of a new season of Survivor
I'm leavin on a jet plane. Don't know when I'll be back again....
Ikramerica From United States, joined May 2005, 17688 posts, RR: 58 Reply 15, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 3645 times:
Scambus...
Seriously, as soon as I saw their "rules of flying" page I knew these guys were basically the same kind of crooks who sell third party pagers, health supplements and time shares.
And what do you know... they do sell time shares!!
Of all the things to worry about... the Wookie has no pants.
Turpentyine From United States, joined Mar 2006, 148 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 3357 times:
Quoting AirlineBrat (Reply 14): How long did you have to sit through the high pressure sales pitch to 'earn' those new toys? I don't think I would have the patience. Now that I think of it, we may have the makings of a new season of Survivor
No sales pitch. I just had to sign up for one of their offers like a credit card or getting a free trial membership with netflix. After that I had to get several other people to do the same: 5 for the ipod and 8 for the TV. Then I received my toys.
If anyone is interested I can provide a link to a forum that is all about those kind of programs.
DeltaDAWG From United States, joined May 2006, 591 posts, RR: 2 Reply 18, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 3317 times:
Perhaps the SkyBus BOD has an Uncle who is the Prime Minister of Finance for Nigeria or a cousin who is the Prime Minister for Oil Finance from Nigeria who needs the contacts SkyBus makes so that the Nigerian relatives can help move some of their millions into SkyBus customers bank accounts since they cannot move the money themselves.
Now that I think about it perhaps SkyBus's sole existence was to help move the "lost" or "unclaimed" millions of dollars in Nigeria to SkyBus's customers bank accounts just for helping the SkyBus BOD relatives in Nigeria?
DLPMMM From United States, joined Apr 2005, 2571 posts, RR: 7 Reply 19, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 3196 times:
An excerpt from Skybus' privacy policy:
1. Name, Address, and Telephone Number
We may make the names, addresses, and telephone numbers that we collect at skybus.com available to other companies that may use the information to market, sell or provide products and services to you.
2. Marketing Affiliates
We have developed affiliate relationships with other companies to assist you with all of your travel arrangements and plan to add more of these companies in the future for your convenience and enjoyment. We will have links on this website that will allow you to access information about these companies with whom we have affiliate relationships. This privacy policy does not apply to these linked sites, but only applies to information collected at Skybus.com. Thus, for example, if you choose to use the services of one of our marketing affiliates (for example Avis/Budget, Travel Holdings, West Gate, or Amazon and others to be added in the future), you will be providing some or all of your information directly to that marketing affiliate company and the terms of their privacy policy will apply. In most cases, the privacy policy for the marketing affiliate will be a link on its website. Because West Gate (the affiliate that provides vacation packages through Hotel Corp.) is framed on skybus.com, you can access the West Gate privacy policy by clicking here. Skybus.com does not evaluate and is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such linked and framed Web sites or pages. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of each marketing affiliate before you provide them with your information.
If you elect to book with Avis/Budget from our website, they will provide us with updates on booking information which we may use for marketing purposes. Please note that rental cars provided by Avis/Budget Rental Cars are subject to their Terms and Conditions.We encourage you to review the Avis/Budget Rental Cars Terms and Conditions, which is posted on the Avis/Budget website, prior to completing your rental car reservation.
In other words, they retain the right to sell your information to everyone.
SkyyMaster From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 20, posted (2 years 2 months 1 week 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 3187 times:
Wow. This is amazing. There's another thread going about when Skybus will stop flying. With this type of scam they are perpetrating, they may not even get off the ground. I sure hope whoever helped put up that $160 million wasn't expecting any return on their investment.
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