Skymark Airlines

[minutiae]

Hi all,
I did a search but nothing specifically answered my question..

Anyone flown Skymark Airlines before? I know they're a budget airline but I don't know what this actually entails in Japan. Tickets are only marginally cheaper than JAL and ANA for the dates I'm wanting, so how does travel with Skymark compare? Is there allocated seating and/or food service? If there's food service, do you have to pay? I'm just trying to figure out if the money saved is worth it or not. Cheers!

[myhomeuphere]

I used to fly skymark from Kagoshima to Tokyo before they stopped the service.

seating is allocated, coffee/tea/juice biscuit service, everything else is pay (as it is on JAL and ANA).

No mile/frequent flier program would be the main difference.

The main difference I always found was that their check in counters were right down one end of the terminals. Other than that they are pretty much the same as the big guys.

[ruserious]

I've researched Skymark as well. If you're American, it is basically the Japanese version of Soutwest Airlines. They are low budget. They only fly 737's. They don't offer any frills.

The reason you see JAL and ANA having similar prices on flights as Skymark is because Skymark sets the prices. Before Skymark, JAL and ANA basically raped the Japanese consumers.

JAL and ANA are hoping to put Skymark out of business, so they can once again jack up their own domestic prices.

Fly whichever airline you like, but thank Skymark for the somewhat reasonable fare that you pay.

[ruserious]

I used to fly skymark from Kagoshima to Tokyo before they stopped the service.

seating is allocated, coffee/tea/juice biscuit service, everything else is pay (as it is on JAL and ANA).

No mile/frequent flier program would be the main difference.

The main difference I always found was that their check in counters were right down one end of the terminals. Other than that they are pretty much the same as the big guys.

I'd like your signature to say "Go Sharks!" I'll pay 50 Yen.

[Broken Promise Land]

They use 767-300's between Itami and Haneda and perhaps a Kansai flight or two.

My advice, use ANA and Star Alliance. The sooner evil JAL looses market share on trunk routes the better.

[flytdeck]

Presently, I am flying for Air Canada, but I spent 3 1/2 years as a B767 Captain with Skymark. I would have no hesitation placing my loved ones on any of their aircraft with any of their crew, which says quite a bit as I have very high standards.
While working with Skymark, I was impressed with the quality of their training, maintenance, staff, and operations. Though they are no frills, they do direct much of their effort and funding on safety items. Being a relatively "new" airline, they have made some "newbie" errors, but no worse than any other major carrier.
Fares are better, and they keep a fairly tight schedule. As mentioned before, because they are a smaller, low cost, and relatively new carrier, they tend to have the gates furthest from security and the checkin counters remotest from the entrance.
In-flight crews are well trained and keen young ladies and gentlemen. I really miss working with them. The pilots are a mix of experienced foreign and Japanese pilots, most of the latter having retired from ANA and JAL. The First Officers are all Japanese and have completed the rigourous training required in Japan. Most have now been at Skymark long enough to have accumulated quite a bit of experience.
So, short answer. If you want to save some money and don't mind a bit more of a walk to and from your aircraft, certainly consider Skymark, with confidence.