JetsGo Suspends Operations
 

CBC Story

Ok so here's the deal, one of Canada's national discount airline that has been flying for 2 or 3 years now announced at midnight it was ceasing operations. The kicker, they didn't tell any of the ticket holders, including the ones they already flew to places like Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Los Angeles and Las Vegas to name a few. They have informed these passengers they need to find their own way home. Oh and a second kicker, this weekend kicks off 'March Break' for most elementary and high schools across the country and a whole lot of people have vacations booked with flights by JetsGo. Definetly a craptastic situation for travellers!

I heard this on the news radio on the way home and was like WTF? Someone needs to have their head on a platter for this one! :mad:

I feel so bad for the people who are stranded in other countries trying to find a ticket home. I feel bad for the people who bought tickets and now can't fly and will never get their money back.

But I'm wondering if this will help the larger airlines, because people may not want to fly on discount airlines for fear they might go belly-up.

What's even more F'ed up:
200 or so RCMPs who went to the memorial in Alberta are stranded because of this.

The head of JetsGo needs to be strung up and beaten down

1) I feel sorry for the stranded passengers.

2) I feel sorry for the JETSGO employees who were told NOTHING, and now get to be the recipients of all those passengers' rage.
Nice way to treat your employees! :rolleyes:

3) Yes, I am with you, Jill1228. That sucks for those RCMP officers. Nice to add insult to injury. Oy.....:(

This really sucks.....:(

It'll be interesting to see how well-packed the golden parachutes are after this company's demise.

In the US, the other airlines have to honor tickets issued on any airline if a situation like this arises. Something about bankruptcy laws, code sharing or some other nonsense or something.

Ya'll mean to tell me that Canada dosent have the same set up? Come on. Ya'll have socialized health care, but will leave travelers stranded in havana? Come on. Not beliving it.... Ya'll wont leave people stranded.

Yeah they would
 

I was shocked about this too. But unfortunately that is the case :( I mean these SOBs were selling tickets up to an hour before they pulled the plug. So you were SOL and you could kiss your money good-bye! :mad:

And if you were doing your return ticket, you could buy a ticket with another airline pretty much at FULL FARE

Talk about not being kissed before you get screwed. :rolleyes:

Needless to say, we mostly take US airlines out of Seattle...

While I'm saddened by the way JetsGo ceased operations, remember that this was mainly done by the executives at a very high level and chances are 0% of airport workers knew what was happening until they got a call saying "go home" and hence why tickets continued to be sold, etc.

For some very good reading if you're interested in aviation, read about the Dallas-based Braniff International ceasing their operations in May 1982 at

http://www.braniffinternational.org/...finalhours.htm

The high up executives are chilling on the beach somewhere while the ticket agents and flight crew became sitting ducks for the lynch mob of pissed off passengers. That is SO WRONG

Remember Karma is a bitch!

Yes and in this case there are more than few Mounties willing to help Karma along.... if and when the RCMP investigates JetsGo's demise.

I saw one story on Canada AM about a pilot who flew one of the last flights to Vancouver from Toronto. He lived in Toronto and when he got off the flight he was told that he was out of a job and that he was now stranded in Vancouver as his return flight the next morning had obviously been cancelled. Luckily Westjet immediatly offered crews a discounted fare, though it still ended up running him 70 or 80 bucks. The least JetsGo could have done was make sure their employees (or former Employees as it is) could make it home. I have a feeling the announcement was made so late so that it wouldn't make the next mornings papers.

They're now looking into some of the trading of JetsGo shares prior to its collapse.

They're also saying that airfare prices have risen since its collapse.
Here's an article:

http://www.cbc.ca/story/business/nat...es-050314.html

Of course airfare has risen. Since JetsGo caused the competition to meet their lower fares, and its demise will allow the other airlines to raise fares to more reasonable levels that will ensure profitability...

Case in point: A quick search for a transcon flight, LAX-JFK, brought up tickets as cheap as $129 one-way to $221 round-trip. With fuel prices at all time highs, it's very difficult for a company to stay out of bankruptcy with these fares.

The airline market, in order to once again be successful (where they can then start to raise service above the current snack box and cup of soda for 5+ hour flights, increase seat pitch, etc.) some airlines need to die. JetsGo was the first. US Airways and United are still in bankruptcy protection, as are others. They both seem to slowly be getting a grasp on things, but USAir has a long way to go, especially with the fiasco in Philadelphia over the winter. American has cut pillows from their flights, and is getting rid of their heavily advertised "More room throughout Coach" and putting seats back in. Delta has drastically cut back First Class service and now has essentially non-existent coach service. Things don't look pretty, and our demand for $99 transcon flights isn't helping.