Isle passengers stuck after
ailing Canada 3000 halts flights

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By Russ Lynch
rlynch@starbulletin.com

Canada 3000, which had been running popular low-fare charter flights between Canada and Hawaii, grounded all its aircraft today, leaving at least some Canadian passengers stuck in Hawaii.

In voice-mail messages and its Web site, the company said it has ceased flying, effective today. "We are therefore unable to transport passengers to their destinations and recommend that they seek alternative methods of travel," the message said.

The company's schedule called for three flights to leave today, from Honolulu to Vancouver and Honolulu to Edmonton, and another from Kona, each with a capacity of about 160 passengers. It was unclear today how many Canada 3000 passengers were left stranded in the islands.

Canada 3000 officials could not be reached to confirm that the flights were grounded here and a voice message left at the airline's Toronto headquarters said no messages should be left and that calls will not be returned. Air Canada stepped in and offered half-priced one-way tickets home for passengers stranded by Canada 3000. Air Canada said it has also waived advance-booking requirements for its discounted fares for travelers who bought Canada 3000 tickets but had not started their trips when the airline shut down its operations.

Fiji-based Air Pacific, which flies a daily Fiji-Honolulu-Vancouver service, said it has been getting calls seeking help for Canada 3000 passengers stranded in Honolulu and is also working out a lower one-way fare to help them.

Canada 3000 had not begun its winter schedule, which normally adds Calgary and Toronto flights to its normal daily Vancouver-Honolulu service. The airline also flew between Vancouver and Kona. Its posted Hawaii fares were as low as $215 for a round trip from Vancouver.

The airline had sought court protection so it could restructure its debt and would remain in the air. A judge granted the request Thursday, but the airline grounded its planes hours later. Canada 3000 carries about 3 million passengers a year, leaving it a distant second to Air Canada.