Southeast Airlines grounded

Wednesday, December 1, 2004

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More than 300 workers were laid off.

Most Southeast Airlines passengers were shocked to hear the news that the airline ceased operations Tuesday.

On Wednesday, planes were left on the tarmac, ticket counters were empty and more than 300 workers were laid off.

Mark Shannon spent $3,800 on 20 flights to and from Allentown, Pa., to get his wife to and from Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa for treatments. Now he wonders if he'll ever get his money back.

"Nobody's giving any information," said Shannon "No phone number, no web site, nothing as what to do about refunds or anything."

Now, the future of St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport may be in question. Southeast Airlines and ATA Airlines, which is facing bankruptcy, amounted to three-fourths of the airport's annual traffic.

"We certainly miss Southeast," said airport director Noah Lagos. "It will have an effect on us. But we'll come back."

Lagos has already started pushing his airport to other carriers. He's hoping to land one before the busy tourist season.

"The sell to new carriers who can mobilize sometime to be here in the first quarter of next year if they choose to offer the service, gives them an opportunity to make money quick, because it's the season," said Lagos.

Many passengers were left stranded.

But that's no help to passenger Julie Hodson, who won't be able to show up to work Thursday.

"It makes me feel angry because I have to [go] to work and stuff, so I don't know what I'm gonna do," said Hodson.

Many of the low-cost carrier's 367 employees who went to banks to cash their paychecks were denied, and were told the airline's account had insufficient funds. Some of them went to the Pasco-Pinellas State Attorney's Office to file charges against the airline.

Southeast served Allentown/Bethlehem, Pa.; Newburgh, N.Y.; Gary, Ind.; Columbus, Ohio; Fort Lauderdale, St. Petersburg/Clearwater; and Orlando.