Ink Publishing will be launching an inflight magazine for its 5th North American airline, Columbus, Ohio-based Skybus starting with the March/April/May 2008 issue.
In its first year, the new Skybus magazine will be produced 4 times per year, and will be placed on every seat on every Skybus flight. The magazine - to be called “Skybussing” - will also serve as the inflight catalog for Skybus’ food, beverage and gift offerings.

Skybus’ next generation-business model is built around keeping its fares significantly below its competitors’ fares by:

Minimizing the time its aircraft are parked at gates or spending time taxiing on runways by using only highly efficient airports.
Flying all Airbus A319 full-size jets, one of the most fuel-efficient aircraft in commercial service.
Maximizing revenue through a variety of ways including ancillary product sales as well as offering advertisers space on both the inside and outside of Skybus’ fleet.
Chase Cunningham, Skybus Director of Ancillary Sales, said “We are very excited to have signed on with Ink Publishing. We intend to utilize the magazine not only to entertain our passengers and provide a forum for corporate messaging, but also to become a profit center in its own right. This is not just about selling advertising relating to our unique destinations, but also by driving ancillary revenues onboard. At the same time, the magazine will give passengers unique insight into each of our destinations, network, while promoting excursions and interesting things to do in and around each and every city and region we serve—from Greensboro to San Francisco.”

Stephen Andrews, head of US Advertising Sales for Ink Publishing, said “We are working closely with Skybus to maximise the media opportunities generated by the inflight magazine. It is really exciting to work on a magazine that will reach unique destinations neglected by other airlines. Companies all along the Skybus network will be able to reach a unique, captive audience that cannot be reached cost effectively by inflight magazines on other airlines.

 

Skybus’ rapidly growing network includes its headquarters in Columbus; its newly-announced second operational base in Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point, NC; Boston/Portsmouth, NH; Chattanooga, Jacksonville/Daytona Beach/St. Augustine, FL; Fort Myers/Punta Gorda, FL;  Fort Lauderdale;  Gulfport-Biloxi/New Orleans; Hartford, CT/Springfield, MA/Chicopee, MA; , Kansas City; Los Angeles/Burbank; Milwaukee; New York/Stewart; Richmond; San Diego; San Francisco/Oakland and Seattle/Vancouver/Bellingham, WA.

 

With a young and vibrant style, every issue of the magazine will include guides on destinations’ restaurants, bars, hotels, shops and property markets. Local writers keep readers informed about the best and latest art, culture and nature activities within each destination. A budget-conscious mid-book section will present fantastic vacation ideas for every type of traveler, be they college students looking for a cheap and fun weekend break or a business tycoon heading off for a luxury-filled sophisticated getaway. Features delve even deeper into the offerings available in the regions that Skybus services. 

 

Jeffrey O’Rourke, Ink Publishing’s Group Chief Executive, said: “We are thrilled that no less than 5 US airlines have chosen Ink as their inflight publisher. Having launched our first magazine in the US just a little over two years ago, it is gratifying to have such a great client list. Skybus has a cutting edge business model involving ancillary product as well as ticket sales, and is providing a great service to places that used to cost an arm and a leg to reach. The Skybus magazine will be an integral part of this, and will challenge a lot of assumptions about what inflight magazine can achieve for advertisers and the airlines themselves.”
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