Anna Overseas

3/11/2005

Discount airline Jetsgo isn't going anywhere -- announcing early Friday that
it is grounded, effective immediately.

Jetsgo advised customers to make alternative arrangements before heading to
the airport since there will be no Jetsgo staff or planes available.

Travellers who are already away were told their return tickets are no good
and to make other arrangements to get back home.

The company issued the stunning announcement shortly after midnight on
Friday.

...

Jetsgo said that difficult market conditions and competitive pressures led
the company to discontinue operations and ground all of its planes.

"We are very concerned about our customers and the significant hardship that
this action causes. In the meantime, we encourage our passengers to contact
their travel agent or an alternative airline."

Hours after the company issued its release, its website was still active with
no note to travellers on the situation.

The company said in its statement that consumers who have paid for Jetsgo
tickets should communicate with the Canadian Transportation Agency or provincial
consumer affairs ministries.

Recent problems at the discount airliner built up something of a backlash
against the company, even leading some travellers to launch a website -- www.jetsgosucks.com.

(Taken from www.edmontonjournal.com)

Interestingly, I can't get to either jetsgo.com or jetsgosucks.com from here, but that may be a work thing and not a thing thing.

The reason I bring this up is because this is the company that Don took when he flew off for university. The trip was a nightmare. The flight he was to take was cancelled, and the notation on his account said that he'd been contacted earlier that day and confirmed he'd take the flight the next day. Here's the catch: the phone that he would have been contacted on had been disconnected already the day before.

The woman he was dealing with fought tooth and nail for him to get on the flight going out that afternoon, with a comp stay at a hotel so he could catch a connection the next morning. It was a long battle, too, since he had "agreed" to the change.

Then, when he tried to get something to drink on the plane so he could take his medication, they told him (on the flight, mind you, this wasn't discussed anywhere before) that they charged for all drinks on the flight.

I know there was more to this saga, but the whole thing was just so stupid. Although I feel for the people who are being screwed (the stranded passengers, the unemployed people), I am glad this company went down.

That's my snarky for today. And I haven't even left work yet.

Anna stopped here at 5:19 AM