AccessAir to Ground Fleet During Chapter 11

Low-cost airline AccessAir, with daily flights between Los Angeles and New York with stops in Des Moines, is temporarily grounding its fleet while it undergoes Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, the Des Moines-based company said, adding that it intends to return to service within 30 days with new routes. “We elected to interrupt service temporarily while we reorganize route structures and our financial affairs,” said Rich Musal, president and chief operating officer. Planes were to stop flying at midnight Monday. Customers holding tickets may seek a refund or keep their tickets and get two for one when AccessAir begins flying again, Musal said. AccessAir was launched in February by a group of Midwest business executives who were tired of paying premium fares to fly to L.A. and New York. Some of AccessAir’s fares were as low as $260 round-trip. Musal said customers didn’t respond as officials expected. The best month for the airline was November, when planes were 34.9% full. Musal said the company will shut down for a while and “come up with routes people want to fly.” AccessAir is considering flying to Las Vegas; Orlando, Fla.; and Phoenix, Musal said, adding that flights to Los Angeles and Colorado Springs, Colo., will continue.