The vindication of Skybus

If you recall, I had a little adventure with the discount carrier Skybus the weekend it went out of business. Before the price of fuel began to skyrocket, the Skybus model seemed to be, if not solid, at least worth a try: Keep fares low and make your profits from selling stuff on the plane -- things like snacks, drinks, Skymall items, headsets, and other things most people don't use or could do very nicely without, but the costs of which are folded into the airfare.

The uncomfortable part of the Skybus model, aside from the fact that with $100+/barrel oil, it's untenable, is that the flight attendants were paid peanuts and made commissions off of what you bought. This of course meant that you bought drinks you didn't want and boxes of Swiss truffles for hostess gifts just so these young men and women could make enough money to keep a roof over their heads.

But now, with Skybus safely out of the way, other airlines are trying to come up with new ways to make money because they no longer can from selling tickets in a country used to air travel that's accessible to all. JetBlue is only the latest airline to take a page from the Skybus playbook:

JetBlue Airways said Monday that it planned to begin charging for pillow and blanket sets on flights of two hours or longer. The $7 sets, which passengers can keep and reuse, include a 10-by-12 inch pillow, a fleece blanket and a $5 coupon for Bed Bath & Beyond.

Buying the sets will be the only option for airline slumberers who do not tote their own; pillows and blankets will no longer be distributed free.

Last week, US Airways began charging $1 for coffee and tea and $2 for bottled water and soft drinks, a step already taken by some European carriers. Several airlines have begun charging passengers to check luggage and book tickets using their frequent-flier miles.