Low-fare airline ATA abruptly shuts down
Travellers with visions of Waikiki, sand beaches and cruises around the island were beaches Thursday at Los Angeles International Airport and across the nation as a Low-Fare Carrier-ATA Airlines Inc. abruptly made land and all flights.
A simple piece of paper, on a ticket empty on Counter-LAX has provided the bad news for passengers on the proposed establishment of the three daily flights from Los Angeles to Hawaii. Passengers encrypted - with a limited number of success - to make other arrangements.
Indianapolis-The airline was the second American operator of the week at the end of service for passengers. On Monday, Aloha Airlines flights ending at making the earth is the only vehicle offering non-stop flights to Orange County in Hawaii.
Flight to Hawaii will probably be more difficult and expensive than booking the culmination of the summer season approaches. With less competition, airlines have spent a long time easier to increase the rate at the end of that rice is one of the most popular routes for travelers Southern California, said experts.
About 3.3 million passengers flew from LAX to Hawaii during the past year, according to the airport.
The Terminal 3 at LAX, ATA-ticket holder was consternation.
“It is simply terrible. I can not believe,” said Amy Chen and her husband Steve as she juggles three cell phones, three children and their concern and the grandfather of two carts of luggage at the airport Thursday afternoon. they were responsible for the management of Honolulu, and then an ocean cruise.
Like other passengers stranded ATA, Westlake Village discovered in the family, only when it comes to the airport, that did not fly ATA, most of the other airlines are not honouring their cards, and most Other aircraft were booked for the coming days.
Steve Chen rest from terminal to terminal in the search results of six cards, returning each time with bad news. “Continental said they could us on a flight on April 7.” But Monday, it will be too late, he said. “We have a cruise to fishing Saturday afternoon.”
With the end of the day, when fingers crossed ATA were added to their airline passenger on waiting lists for the next few days.
LAX is the only airport in the region, offers daily flights non-stop to Hawaii, and the number of airlines in the region of the island was ânerie from eight to six.
The biggest beneficiaries are expected American Airlines and United Airlines, which have a combined market share of nearly 50% of flights to LAX to Honolulu.
The loss of ATA-service related to the closure of Aloha Airlines, is the creation of a “real crisis in the availability of flights for travel options in Hawaii and in the coming months,” said Joe Brancatelli, Business Travel Consultant in New York.
ATA was a small airline focuses mainly on the Hawaiian market. It serves 44 flights per day, including eight in Oakland International Airport LAX and three, including two flew to Honolulu and the other in Kailua-Kona.
Combined, ATA and Aloha accounted for about 15% of flights to southern California from Hawaii.
“We deeply regret the disruption and difficulties, by the sudden closure of the ATA, a result of our employees and we have worked very hard, and avoid heavy casualties,” Doug Yakola, the airline’s Chief Operating Officer, said in a statement.
The company said that bankruptcy late Wednesday.
Although the latest proposals of bankruptcy are likely to take a trip to Hawaii, they do not feel they beginnings of a larger airline industry collapse.
Much of the American industry is expected to continue after a loss of the year, but most vendors to survive, to anticipate the high cost of fuel and a decline in air travel with the economy slows.
“Our conclusion is that network operators and most of the low-cost survive weakness of the economic environment and the high level of oil prices over the next two years,” Ray Neidl, an analyst for Calyon Securities airline , said in a report to investors.
Recent requests for bankruptcy and Aloha ATA came after the two airlines are struggling financially, although it has recently before the reorganization bankruptcy.
Aloha finished Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the year 2006 after a private investment firm, the direction of Los Angeles billionaire Ron Burkle adopted by a majority of the shares of the airline and has pumped over 100 million $ in the company.
For ATA, the final declaration of bankruptcy was its second since 2004. The airline said in a statement that it had been forced to land lost, because it is a central military charter treaty. In addition to scheduled flights of the company, the ATA–Service Charter for the Pentagon.
ATA said, other passengers travel on their own arrangements. Those who paid by credit card should ask their credit card provider for a refund. Those who are paid in cash for some by a filing of the application of the Bankruptcy Court travel insurance with passengers should contact their insurer.
Southwest Airlines Co., its passengers, the ATA tickets purchased by the airlines’ code-sharing, a reimbursement agreement or booking change.
At LAX, on Thursday to 10 years in Oxnard Jocelyn Gomez sat in their red suitcase, as her mother called wild in the region. A beach five days off, his first trip to Hawaii, was looking less secure.
After about 30 minutes of calling, Jocelyn asked sad “So could we not go?”
His mother is working its way through a list of airlines, whispered that the search was not completed. “I do not know yet, honey.” The second objective was to Hawaiian Airlines counter in the next terminal.