We flew from Columbus to Burbank on Skybus in October with my DH and 3 kids. It was great! You got an AWESOME deal getting the $10 flights!
We got $150 RT tix and thought we did great. MY DH does business in the Anaheim area, so we decided to take a trip to DLR! Skybus is different, but as long as you know what to expect, you should have a good experience. The planes are brand new which is nice.
We each had a carry on bag, so we did not check our luggage, therefore avoiding the charge per bag. They WILL check car seats and strollers at no cost. We gate checked our stroller. As far as getting there extra early? Just like Southwest, it depends on when you get your boarding pass via computer 24 hrs. prior as to which group you will board in. For an extra $10 per person, you can upgrade to priority boarding. It is up to you how early you want to get on line depending on how important where you sit is since it is open seating. They do board from both the front AND the back of the plane to expedite things, so be aware of that.
They make themselves appear to be pretty strict on not allowing food on board. They definately will make you get rid of any coffee cups, etc. you may have. My kids have severe food allergies, so I packed their own food for them and told them upfront about it (even had a dr note if needed, but we didn't) and they had no problem with it. DH and I did get food, we ordered a fruit plate and a breakfast sandwich with potatoes and shared between us.
Yes, it is expensive, but it was pretty good and a good serving size. Consider it no different than anyother airport food cost wise. The drinks on the other hand are a rip off. The coffee cups are tiny and the bottled waters are small as well. I would bring my own drink in my bag next time.
Everything is sold separately and they come down the aisle twice to sell you items. This is a way to make profits for them.
Skybus has it's own terminal area in Columbus, so it is fine, but shares space (or a sliver) in Burbank. It is easy to miss, so don't panic.
Both Columbus and Burbank are easy airports to navigate and get in and out of (well, relatively speaking).
As far as their time record, I have heard that other routes may have issues, but from what we've heard and my DH's experiece, since he flies it a lot, is that this route is usually on time. Believe me, they get you in, out and turned around really quickly!
That is all I can think of right now, post any more questions you may have and enjoy!
