Southeast Airline’s abrupt service stoppage on 30 November forced many US passengers earlier this week to scramble around for new flights.
Particularly hard hit: Newburgh, New York, where Southeast was the largest carrier, representing 60% of its passengers at Stewart International Airport, according to MidHudsonNews.com.
AirTran moved into the void by offering Southeast ticket-holders a $50 one-way fare, plus taxes and fees. The offer is good through 8 December, AirTran said.
Southeast cited high fuel prices as the major reason for its demise.
In addition, however, the airline was facing a $240,000 fine by the Federal Aviation Administration for safety violations.
One of those violations was allowing a plane to make 279 landings in a 72-day period — all without required inspections for fuselage cracks, according to several reports.
Southeast’s destinations in addition to eastern areas and the Midwest included three Florida locations: Fort Lauderdale, St. Petersburg/Clearwater and Orlando.
Report by David Wilkening
