Direct Air in trouble d

[Lewisc]

From the Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...cels-flights/2012/03/13/gIQAhJME9R_story.html

South Carolina-based public charter airline Direct Air has canceled all flights and there was no word Tuesday on when they might resume.

Myrtle Beach International Airport director Mike LaPier told The Sun News all operations by Direct Air were suspended Monday night. He said the flights were canceled because of a fueling issue.
.....
Calls to both the company’s corporate and reservation numbers during business hours were answered Tuesday by a recording stating all agents were busy and referring callers to the airline website. The reservation number did not offer the option of waiting for the next available agent.
......
He says he was not given any options or reasons for the canceled flight.
........

I'll speculate Direct Air didn't (doesn't) have enough funds to fuel the planes.

 

[webworm]

Not a good situation and especially for the folks already gone to florida or myrtle beach for March break. Looks like the Niagara Falls airport is still trying to get information based on their website.
http://www.niagarafallsairport.com/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/13/direct-air-south-carolina_n_1341285.html

 

[vttkdmom]

Trying to figure out if I should try and find other flights, assuming they are going "belly up" or if there is even a way to find out at this point...

We REALLY can't afford to eat the cost of the four tickets AND purchase NEW tickets...

The kids haven't been to Disney in 10 years and my husband has never been. We are going down on a pretty tight budget and were planning to drive until I saw the "great deal" on these tickets.

I bought them back in December, so it is outside the 60 day window for disputes with American Express.

This stinks!

 

[pigletto]

Trying to figure out if I should try and find other flights, assuming they are going "belly up" or if there is even a way to find out at this point...

We REALLY can't afford to eat the cost of the four tickets AND purchase NEW tickets...

The kids haven't been to Disney in 10 years and my husband has never been. We are going down on a pretty tight budget and were planning to drive until I saw the "great deal" on these tickets.

I bought them back in December, so it is outside the 60 day window for disputes with American Express.

This stinks!

First off.. I'm sorry you find yourself in this position

Secondly.. I've been reading over my credit card terms, and the 60 days on my card is if I find an error on my statement.
This is different. It's services not rendered and I don't know if it falls under the 60 days rule or not.
I will post anything I find out.
I want to hear the announcement so I can get moving on this too.

 

[NUHuskies#1]

Almost booked Worcester to MCO for May with the great $79 fare. think I may have dodged one....

http://www.boston.com/business/pers...t_air_cancels_flights_wor.html?p1=Upbox_links

 

[Lewisc]

One purpose of putting fares into an escrow account and requiring bonding is to make sure passengers can get a refund if the charter airline goes out of business.

http://airconsumer.dot.gov/publications/charters.htm

I don't think this will help customers who paid to join their way2go club get a refund on the membership cost. Maybe a credit card dispute.

I don't think the problem will be getting a refund. I think the problem will be finding replacement flights at a fare you can live with. People booked with direct air because they didn't like the fares being offered by scheduled carriers. Those fares haven't gone down.

 

[vttkdmom]

Pigletto- I called American Express and they basically said there is nothing they can do since the purchase was made outside the 60 day window..

 

[Lewisc]

Pigletto- I called American Express and they basically said there is nothing they can do since the purchase was made outside the 60 day window..

It's premature. When (if?) Directair officially goes out of business the process for getting a refund will be posted. It's possible refunds will still go back to your AMEX card even if you booked airfare more then 60 days ago.

 

[Geoff_M]

From the Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...cels-flights/2012/03/13/gIQAhJME9R_story.html



I'll speculate Direct Air didn't (doesn't) have enough funds to fuel the planes.

Likely translation: "The fuel suppliers have cut us off..."

 

[pigletto]

Latest news is that the company missed a fuel payment and therefore the company providing it's fuel pulled it's permit and DirectAir could not get fuel.

This is on the news right now from Buffalo. It's being reported that DirectAir will resume flights starting tomorrow according to it's marketing manager.

Wait for the statement today as this is being reported out of news station in South Carolina and was just 10 minutes ago.

But apparently it's not a bankruptcy issue (not that that really makes me feel better at this point but whatever..)

 

[Geoff_M]

But apparently it's not a bankruptcy issue (not that that really makes me feel better at this point but whatever..)

I would add "Yet" to that statement. This news along with the recent deep discounted fare sale points to a company that is trying to keep their bank account balance in positive territory on a day to day basis. I think it's safe to say they're circling the porcelain. Add to that that these cancellations and explanation will only worsen their problems as more people will stay away from them as a result.

 

[pigletto]

I would add "Yet" to that statement. This news along with the recent deep discounted fare sale points to a company that is trying to keep their bank account balance in positive territory on a day to day basis. I think it's safe to say they're circling the porcelain. Add to that that these cancellations and explanation will only worsen their problems as more people will stay away from them as a result.

Agreed. At this point I would rather see a bankruptcy and have hope of trying for a refund than to wait and watch every day to see if they are going under

I have some decisions to make at any rate.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Pigletto- I called American Express and they basically said there is nothing they can do since the purchase was made outside the 60 day window..

Not necessarily. In August 2005 I bought two tickets using AMEX on Independence Air for a Jan 2006 flight. By late fall, it was clear that the airline was going under. I contacted AMEX for a chargeback, even though it was 60 days since the purchase date. It took several months of arguing with them, but I did finally get a full refund from AMEX. Independence Air ceased operations in Jan 2006.

I would advise anyone with Direct Air tickets to make new travel arrangements and be aggressive in pursuing a refund.

 

[kirs10a]

http://www.wgrz.com/news/article/160399/1/Report-Direct-Air-Flights-to-Resume-Later-This-Week

Flights to resume this week. I'm holding tickets for June from Springfield, IL to Lakeland. I don't want to worry until June!

I called Disney Visa, they said that if the company went out of business, I would get a full refund from them. That makes me feel better.....

 

[magiroux]

http://www.wgrz.com/news/article/160399/1/Report-Direct-Air-Flights-to-Resume-Later-This-Week

Flights to resume this week. I'm holding tickets for June from Springfield, IL to Lakeland. I don't want to worry until June!

I called Disney Visa, they said that if the company went out of business, I would get a full refund from them. That makes me feel better.....

Take if for what it is worth.....

This is a 'comment' from a reader I pulled from the article above -
A close source who works at Direct Air says they are bankrupt and unless things change in the next 24 hours, there will be no more flights.

I jumped on the 50% off sale some months back. I have flown them before and love the ease of flying out of Worcester and into Sanford. However, I have always done so knowing things could go bad. Although this would qualify as VERY bad - .

 

[rdsx28]

What a bummer! I too have purchased tickets for June Worcester to Sanford. I would also like to know one way or another now. The air prices are already sky high sadly so I would like to shop around now. I just don't understand why just yesterday I received some new promotion from them? Why do this to people if you are going under? I am hoping it is just a small issue as business here in Worcester has seen an 80% occupancy on flights.Very sad.

 

[iheartpeterpan]

This is posted on their website:

Direct Air finds it necessary to suspend flight operation from Tuesday, March 13, 2012 until May 15, 2012. This decision was made to address operational matters. We are currently evaluating strategic alternatives for Direct Air.

Direct Air is committed to our passengers, employees, and the communities we serve.

Passengers holding reservations for Direct Air flights departing between Tuesday, March 13, 2012 and Tuesday, May 15, 2012 are directed to contact their credit card company to arrange for a refund.

Please check back here for more details.

Very Truly Yours,
Direct Air

 

[Geoff_M]

The plot thickens... Our local newspaper's web site just posted a story that quotes a US Dept. of Transportation statement that says that the issue goes beyond fuel payments, and is due to non-payment of their contracted carriers that the Direct Air charter business uses:

In an e-mailed statement, Bill Mosley said:

"Xtra Airways and Sky King, two direct carriers for the charter operator Myrtle Beach Direct Air and Tours, informed us that they notified the operator they would cancel all future flights due to nonpayment.

"As a condition of approving its public charter program, Myrtle Beach Direct Air established an escrow account to make refunds to passengers if necessary. The Department is continuing to look into the cancellations."

 

[webworm]

Direct Air finds it necessary to suspend flight operation from Tuesday, March 13, 2012 until May 15, 2012. This decision was made to address operational matters. We are currently evaluating strategic alternatives for Direct Air.

Direct Air is committed to our passengers, employees, and the communities we serve.

Passengers holding reservations for Direct Air flights departing between Tuesday, March 13, 2012 and Tuesday, May 15, 2012 are directed to contact their credit card company to arrange for a refund.

Please check back here for more details.

Very Truly Yours,
Direct Air

http://www.visitdirectair.com/index.php

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Take if for what it is worth.....

This is a 'comment' from a reader I pulled from the article above -
A close source who works at Direct Air says they are bankrupt and unless things change in the next 24 hours, there will be no more flights.

I agree.

When I had the tickets on Independence Air, up until the day in January 2006 before they ceased operations forever, they insisted to me that my flight would go. It didn't.