Aloha Airlines Halting Passenger Service

March 30, 2008
Aloha Airlines Halting Passenger Service
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 7:19 p.m. ET

HONOLULU (AP) -- Aloha Airlines said Sunday it will halt all passenger
service after Monday, signaling the end of an airline that has served
Hawaii for more than 60 years.

Aloha, which filed for bankruptcy for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
on March 21, was a casualty of fierce competition and rising fuel
prices. The airline said it will stop taking reservations for flights
after Monday.

''We simply ran out of time to find a qualified buyer or secure
continued financing for our passenger business,'' said Aloha President
David Banmiller in a statement. ''We had no choice but to take this
action.''

Aloha has suffered since Phoenix-based Mesa Air Group Inc. launched a
new interisland carrier called go! airlines in 2006, triggering a
local airfare war.

Banmiller didn't mentioned go! by name in his statement, but did blame
the company's demise on rival companies.

''Unfortunately, unfair competition has succeeded in driving us out of
business,'' he said.

Rising fuel prices, which have forced other airlines to raise fares
and look for ways to cut expenses, also made it difficult for Aloha to
operate.

Aloha said tickets for flights after Monday will not be honored. It
said it is working to have United Airlines accommodate passengers with
tickets for Aloha's mainland to Hawaii flights. It hopes to seat those
with interisland tickets on Hawaiian Airlines.

Aloha has canceled Monday flights from Hawaii to the West Coast and
between several cities in California and Nevada. It's last day for
interisland travel will be Monday.

Aloha advised passengers who don't want to fly another airline and who
want a refund to contact their travel agents or credit card companies.
Those who paid by cash or check may file a claim in bankruptcy court.

The shutdown will affect about 1,900 employees. The company said air
cargo services are to continue.

A Seattle company on Thursday offered to buy Aloha's cargo operations
for an undisclosed amount. But Saltchuk Resources Inc. said it wasn't
interested in taking over Aloha's passenger business.

Aloha Airlines was founded in 1946.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/busi...gewanted=print

On Mar 30, 6:19*pm, Brian wrote:
March 30, 2008
Aloha Airlines Halting Passenger Service
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 7:19 p.m. ET

HONOLULU (AP) -- Aloha Airlines said Sunday it will halt all passenger
service after Monday, signaling the end of an airline that has served
Hawaii for more than 60 years.

Aloha, which filed for bankruptcy for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
on March 21, was a casualty of fierce competition and rising fuel
prices. The airline said it will stop taking reservations for flights
after Monday.

''We simply ran out of time to find a qualified buyer or secure
continued financing for our passenger business,'' said Aloha President
David Banmiller in a statement. ''We had no choice but to take this
action.''

Aloha has suffered since Phoenix-based Mesa Air Group Inc. launched a
new interisland carrier called go! airlines in 2006, triggering a
local airfare war.

Banmiller didn't mentioned go! by name in his statement, but did blame
the company's demise on rival companies.

''Unfortunately, unfair competition has succeeded in driving us out of
business,'' he said.

Rising fuel prices, which have forced other airlines to raise fares
and look for ways to cut expenses, also made it difficult for Aloha to
operate.

Aloha said tickets for flights after Monday will not be honored. It
said it is working to have United Airlines accommodate passengers with
tickets for Aloha's mainland to Hawaii flights. It hopes to seat those
with interisland tickets on Hawaiian Airlines.

Aloha has canceled Monday flights from Hawaii to the West Coast and
between several cities in California and Nevada. It's last day for
interisland travel will be Monday.

Aloha advised passengers who don't want to fly another airline and who
want a refund to contact their travel agents or credit card companies.
Those who paid by cash or check may file a claim in bankruptcy court.

The shutdown will affect about 1,900 employees. The company said air
cargo services are to continue.

A Seattle company on Thursday offered to buy Aloha's cargo operations
for an undisclosed amount. But Saltchuk Resources Inc. said it wasn't
interested in taking over Aloha's passenger business.

Aloha Airlines was founded in 1946.http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/busi...uptcy.html?_r=...

I guess I'd better get my travel agent on Monday to see how my family
is getting from ITO to HNL. We were booked on UA code-share with
them.

Michael