Breaking News...Vanguard Airlines Files For Bankruptcy!!

[CWIPPERMAN]

I'm sitting here in Kansas City (Home base of Vanguard airlines) watching the morning news, and apparently about midnight last night VANGUARD AIRLINES filed for bankruptcy. Several flights were turned around in mid-air and made to come back to Kansas City.

All flights have been cancelled.

This information may not effect a lot of you, but Vanguard is an airline that flies into Orlando. They are a "discount" airline based here in Kansas City, and with many flights throughout the Mid-West, this may effect lots of travelers to WDW. I personally almost bought my airline tickets for my Sept. trip through them.

If I get anymore information on what folks that are holding ticktes through them can do, I will post it.

Good Luck!

 

[CWIPPERMAN]

Here is the first story I have found on the Bankruptcy on a local media website. This was put on last night and says they "Plan" to file. I am watching the 5AM news right now, and they have a crew live at the airport, and are showing the counters with signs that say "closed.....Vanguard airlines has filed for bankruptcy". They also interviewed a family that was on a flight that was 30 minutes out of KC when it was turned around for "weather problems". When they landed in KC, everyone on board was told that the airline had filed for bankruptcy, and all passangers would have to make other travel arrangements.

Here is the story from KCTV-5

Source Says Vanguard Plans Bankruptcy Filing
Email story to a friend
Vanguard Bankruptcy?
KANSAS CITY, MO, Associated Press -- Vanguard Airlines, an 8-year-old carrier that has struggled to become profitable, plans to file for bankruptcy, the city's aviation director said he was told Monday.

"I was told by a senior executive that Vanguard would be declaring bankruptcy tomorrow," Russell Widmar said late Monday, adding that he expected to "get a fairly good briefing" sometime Tuesday.

Company spokesman Alan Carr, reached at his home, said, "I can't tell you anything." At the company's headquarters in suburban Mission, Kan., a recorded message said all circuits were busy.

A telephone message left Monday night for David Rescino, Vanguard's chief financial officer, was not immediately returned.

One of the startup carriers that proliferated nationwide in the 1990s, Vanguard was operating 32 flights a day out of its Kansas City base in late June.

Its most recent schedules listed 18 cities: Kansas City, Atlanta, Austin, Buffalo/Niagra Falls, Chicago-Midway, Colorado Springs, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Myrtle Beach, New Orleans, New York-LaGuardia, Orlando, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Seattle.

Widmar noted that filing for bankruptcy protection would not necessarily mean that Vanguard would cease operation. Asked what he would advise people booked on Vanguard, he noted that his mother had a ticket for a mid-August flight to Kansas City from Fort Lauderdale.

"I called her and said, 'Go cancel that,"' Widmar said Monday night.

Founded in December 1994, Vanguard has never had an annual profit. Its last quarterly profit was in 1998.

Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press.


I will update with any information that becomes available

 

[CWIPPERMAN]

Vanguard Ticket Holder Information

If you have Vanguard tickets, you can file a claim to try and get your money back.

To file over the Internet, send an e-mail to ch11@flyvanguard.com.
You can also file by U.S. mail to:
Vanguard Airlines
533 Mexico City Ave.
Kansas City, MO 64153
The following airlines are assisting Vanguard customers.
(Updated at 7:49 p.m. on July 31.
This information is only updated when KCTV5.com is notified of specific airlines' plans. For the most current information, call the airline on which you're considering flying.
The Kansas City Aviation Department is also providing information about airlines assisting Vanguard ticket holders. You can check out their list online as well.)

American Trans Air

Due to the recent announcement that Vanguard Airlines plans to suspend operations, ATA has agreed to honor Vanguard Airlines' tickets on flights where space is available. Additionally, passengers who are traveling over the next 60 days can book any guaranteed space on any ATA itinerary that corresponds with their Vanguard itinerary for $100 or less one-way. The offer expires on September 30, 2002. This offer applies only in markets served by ATA and to customers holding paper or electronic tickets (e-tickets) for travel on Vanguard Airlines. ATA has no advance purchase or minimum stay requirements and will waive other restrictions on fares purchased by Vanguard ticket holders if the ticket holder has proof of purchase on Vanguard with either a paper ticket or a print-out of an e-ticket confirmation. Passengers holding tickets on Vanguard Airlines can call ATA's reservation center at 1-800-I-FLY-ATA, and must present their Vanguard Airlines paper ticket or e-ticket confirmation at an ATA ticket counter.

America West Airlines

America West is offering standby travel options for Vanguard Airlines customers who are affected by the airline’s cessation of operations. Passengers who prefer confirmed travel, can take advantage of America West’s every day low fares, which include discounted last minute tickets and no Saturday night stay requirement. Vanguard ticket holder who have confirmed paper or electronic tickets will be accepted for standby travel on America West under the following conditions:

Customers must travel on the day of originally scheduled travel on Vanguard Airlines to and from the originally scheduled airports.
Customers will be required to provide a proof of purchase for the Vanguard Airlines tickets.
Customers will be charged a service fee based upon the customer’s itinerary.
Travel and ticketing must be completed by September 30, 2002.
For more information on these re-accommodation options, please contact America West reservations at 1-800-235-9292.

Delta Air Lines

Delta Air Lines, Delta Express and Delta Connection carriers are offering discounted fares and standby travel options for Vanguard ticket holders affected by the airline's cessation of operations. Delta will offer special discounted fares to customers holding paper or electronic tickets for travel on Vanguard Airlines. The special fares are subject to availability; however, normal advance purchase requirements and other restrictions will be waived. Customers purchasing these special fares may travel only on the same date and between the same origin and destination cities as their original Vanguard ticket. These discounted fares must be purchased by August 14, and travel must be completed by November 15, 2002. Delta also is offering Vanguard customers the option to pay an administrative service fee of $100 and exchange their Vanguard ticket to travel on a standby basis on Delta flights. Standby travel only will be allowed on the same day of travel as the original Vanguard ticket. This offer is valid through Sept. 30, 2002. The special fares and the standby option described above apply only to customers holding paper or electronic tickets for travel on Vanguard Airlines. In all cases, the Vanguard customer must present proof of purchase on Vanguard with either a paper ticket or a printout of an e-ticket confirmation at a Delta ticket office or Delta airport ticket counter. These policies apply to travel on Delta, Delta Express, and all Delta Connection carriers. For more information Vanguard ticket holders can contact Delta’s reservations center at 1-800-221-1212.

Frontier Airlines

Frontier Airlines is offering significant discounts for Vanguard ticket holders, applies only in markets served by Frontier as well as Colorado Springs. Frontier's offer pertains to customers holding paper or electronic tickets for travel on Vanguard Airlines. Frontier will waive certain advance purchase requirements and other restrictions on fares purchased by Vanguard ticket holders, provided the ticket holder possesses proof of purchase on Vanguard with either a paper tickets or a print out of an e-ticket confirmation. Passengers holding tickets on Vanguard Airlines are advised to call Frontier's reservations center at 1-800-432-1359. For customers holding tickets on Vanguard Airlines for travel outside 14 days, Frontier recommends that they book online on Frontier's Web site, www.frontierairlines.com , where lower fares may be available.

Midwest Express

Customers holding tickets for travel on Vanguard Airlines have the opportunity to fly standby on Midwest Express flights to and from Atlanta, New Orleans and New York LaGuardia. Vanguard ticket holders are required to report to the airport on the date they were originally scheduled to fly and provide proof of purchase on Vanguard, either a paper ticket or a printout of an e-ticket confirmation.

National Airlines

For Vanguards Airline passengers in other cities, National Airlines is offering significant discounts for Vanguard ticket holders who had their ticket purchased by July 29. The carrier serves Chicago Midway, Chicago O’Hare, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK, Newark, Philadelphia and San Francisco with nonstop flights to and from its Las Vegas hub. National's offer in only good until September 3 and pertains to customers holding paper or electronic tickets for travel on Vanguard Airlines. National will waive certain advance purchase requirements and other restrictions on fares purchased by Vanguard ticket holders, provided the ticket holder possesses proof of purchase on Vanguard with either a paper ticket or a print out of an e-ticket confirmation. Passengers holding tickets on Vanguard Airlines are advised to call National reservations center at 1-888-757-5387, and must present their Vanguard Airlines' paper ticket or e-ticket confirmation at a National ticket counter at time of check-in.

Southwest Airlines

Until Aug. 6, 2002, based on inventory availability, Southwest Airlines is offering Vanguard ticket holders discount travel options. Southwest may waive certain advance purchase requirements and other restrictions on fares purchased by Vanguard ticket holders, provided the ticket holder possesses proof of purchase on Vanguard with a print out of a ticket itinerary. Vanguard customers are advised to call Southwest's reservations center at 1-800-435-9792.

United Airlines

United Airlines is waving advance purchase tickets for Vanguard ticket holders, applies only in markets served by United. United's offer pertains to customers holding paper tickets or electronic tickets for travel on Vanguard Airlines. Passengers holding tickets on Vanguard Airlines are advised to call United's reservation center at 1-800-241-6522, and must present their Vanguard Airlines paper ticket or e-ticket confirmation at a United ticket counter at time of check-in.

U.S. Airways

On July 30 and 31, US Airways is offering significant discounts for Vanguard ticket holders, applies only in markets served by US Airways. US Airways will waive certain advance purchase requirements and other restrictions on fares purchased by Vanguard ticket holders. Passengers holding tickets on Vanguard Airlines are advised to call the US Airways reservations center at 1-800-428-4322.