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Independence Air Set to End Palm Beach, Fla., Flights

Posted on: Wednesday, 4 January 2006, 21:00 CST

By Glenn Singer, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Jan. 5--The last Independence Air flight serving Palm Beach International Airport is scheduled to leave at 5:05 p.m. today, just hours before the low-fare airline stops operating. Bankrupt since early November, the carrier was a victim of high fuel costs and steep competition.

"The financial pressures of the industry have prevailed," the company said on its Web site. "We have run out of time." Independence Air had sought a buyer, but did not receive any firm offers.

The company operated a second flight from West Palm Beach on Wednesday to accommodate the large number of passengers seeking to get to Washington before service terminates. Only one flight is planned today.

Customers with tickets on future Independence Air flights now scrubbed won't necessarily be out of luck, though they might have to pay some more money to exchange their tickets for other airlines' flights. Under federal law, U.S. airlines must offer stand-by transportation to passengers holding un-refunded tickets for airlines that have ceased operations.

Passengers must make their requests within 60 days after service ceases to carriers serving the same routes as Independence Air. Those other airlines are permitted to charge $50 one-way per person to cover their expenses.

Several airlines have announced plans to accommodate Independence Air customers. Among them:

--AirTran Airways will allow Independence Air passengers who hold tickets to fly stand-by beginning Friday for a $50 one-way, refundable fee. AirTran also offers a $100 confirmed seat fare. Stand-by fares must be booked by March 6, while confirmed-seat travel must be completed by Jan. 31.

--Spirit Airlines will charge a $50 fee through March 6 and will allow travel to Reagan National Airport in Washington, even though Independence Air served only Washington's Dulles Airport.

--US Airways will charge $50 for stand-by travel and $100 for a confirmed ticket. Stand-by travel will be offered through March 6, while confirmed space travel must be completed by Jan. 31. Passengers can use Dulles, Reagan or Baltimore-Washington Marshall Airport.

--JetBlue Airways will charge $50 for stand-by travel through March 6. For Independence Air customers booked to West Palm Beach, JetBlue offers service to Fort Lauderdale instead. The company also urges consumers to check its winter sale fares, which in some cases (between Washington and Boston, for example) are lower than the $50 sand-by fee.

All the airlines stressed that consumers must show proof of purchase on Independence Air. That can be an e-ticket confirmation, e-ticket receipt or paper tickets printed by the bankrupt carrier.

Independence Air offered generally only one flight a day from PBIA and did not operate at South Florida's other airports. It did serve 37 destinations, including New York, Las Vegas, Chicago and Detroit.

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Copyright (c) 2006, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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AAI, LCC, JBLU,

Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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