Saint Augustine and Skybus, Together At Last

Moving from Washington, D.C. to Saint Augustine, Florida changed my life in a variety of ways; ninety-nine percent of them good. But do I miss walking to the Metro from my Arlington apartment and the next rental car I'm in is in Europe? You bet I do. Jacksonville's airport is efficient, clean, consumer-friendly, and filled with nice people and fast-moving lines. So what if I have to "connect" in Atlanta or New York. That's the price I pay for yesterday's weather (February 3, 2008) of 75 and sunny making every moment of waiting in a connecting airport worth it.

But some of that waiting may change. Not that we'll ever have direct flights to Europe, Skybus is in town and there are some future destinations in their hopper that we'll definitely take advantage of. For instance, Richmond, Virginia. Unless you take the train, and get a sleeper if you're smart, you have to drive. Either way, it's long, boring, expensive, and if you are driving, dangerous.

Skybus will soon offer flights, non-stops we hear, to Richmond, and that can't happen soon enough. I got so excited, after I signed up for their email newsletter with tips and trips, I went to our little Saint Augustine airport just to get a look-see myself. And the Skybus (Airbus 319) was there waiting to pick up a record crowd of about 15 people. Makes me wonder how long this will last. The attendant at the counter was less than forthcoming. Her answer was the same to every question I overheard asked: "Go online. That information is on-line." But who cares?! Air service to somewhere, right from our own little airport, that's progress.

Our terminal building is made of cloth (really) but the security was conspicuously evident, there are plenty of seats in the waiting area, and parking is cheap ($5 a day).

If anyone reading this is thinking of traveling to Saint Augustine, try Skybus and the Saint Augustine Airport. If we don't use it, we will, of course, lose it. Oh, and yes, there was a cab parked nearby, and three car rental agencies. And a coke machine! What more could you want!

Patsy Ittner, Broker/Owner, Little Fox Realty, 904-687-3665, www.littlefoxrealty.com Serving the real estate needs of Saint Augustine and Jacksonville, Florida