The Boston Herald
Friday, September 14, 2001

Airlines offer refunds for cancellations: Only Shuttle America balks
by Greg Gatlin

Airlines are generally offering blanket refunds to customers whose flights
were canceled after Tuesday's terrorist attacks.

Travel agents say all of the major airlines are refunding tickets for travel
at least through the weekend, and most likely beyond. The one exception,
agents say, has been bankrupt commuter airline Shuttle America.

The Windsor Locks, Conn., airline, which resumed flying out of Bedford's
Hanscom Field yesterday, has said it will permit passengers to take future
flights with no surcharge, but will not refund tickets. Spokesman Mark
Cestari said that decision was a matter of policy.

``Our normal policy is we're a non-refundable airline, where as other
airlines have some tickets that are refundable and some that are not,''
Cestari said. ``We think that it's an appropriate position for us to take
given the circumstances around this terrible tragedy, and given the
realities of where we are in our reorganization.''

One travel agent, who asked not to be named, said she found the carrier's
decision ``appalling.'' She said some of her clients that paid for canceled
Shuttle America flights have little use for its future flights and want
refunds.

Travel agents said American Airlines and Delta Air Lines are refunding
tickets for canceled flights through Sept. 18. United Airlines has extended
refunds through Sept. 25. US Airways is refunding tickets through Sept. 16,
while Southwest Airlines has not set a cut-off date.

Agents said they expect the airlines may extend those cut-offs.

Sheila Carita, an agent with Cleveland Circle Leisure, said yesterday a
client canceled a $10,000 booking for a trip to Greece.

``They were supposed to go tonight. They're not,'' she said.

Carita expects some scaling back by travelers for now.

American and United Airlines made limited flights yesterday as the U.S.
government allowed the resumption of commercial air travel, although Logan
Airport remains closed.

Because of Tuesday's attacks, the world's airlines this week incurred
expenses and lost sales that may reach $10 billion, the International Air
Transport Association said.

The trade group representing 266 airlines worldwide based its estimate on
lost revenue and spending to maintain grounded planes and pay workers and
other expenses.

``This is going to be a survival issue for several major carriers and
certainly for some regionals - but I do believe they will survive,'' said
Bryan Bedford, chief executive of Chautauqua Airlines Inc. in Indianapolis.

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