IMMEDIATE   

Contact: Carla L. Firestone, Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Communications Director

Mobile: 419-260-9981 -- Office: 419-243-8251

 

JetAMerica Announces 30-Day Delay in Air Service

Toledo Express Offers assistance for Travelers

 

TOLEDO, Ohio, July 2, 2009 – JetAmerica announced today that they will be delaying the July 13, 2009 start of their service out of all airports until August 14, 2009 due primarily to unforeseen complications with landing and take-off time slots at Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey. All passengers who have booked JetAmerica tickets for flights between July 13 and August 13, 2009 will be provided a full refund. In addition, Toledo Express is offering all affected travelers who booked JetAmerica flights out of Toledo Express Airport assistance due to the inconvenience.

JetAmerica is sending out a blast e-mail today advising 6,486 passengers that booked flights from July 13 through August 13, 2009 that their credit card accounts will be fully refunded for all charges. The credits should appear on e-statements within seven to 14 days.

JetAmerica will offer passengers who were originally booked on flights from July 13 through August 13 special incentives to rebook on future flights when they call the reservations center at 727-451-3970. Incentives include waiving the standard $10 reservations convenience fee. JetAmerica will also waive the $20 fee for the first-checked piece of baggage and the $10 seat assignment fee.

Toledo Express is offering the following services to all passengers affected by the delay who hold a valid ticket on a JetAmerica flight originating from Toledo Express between July 13 and August 13, 2009:

Travel Agent Services via Atlas World Travel

All passengers who hold a valid ticket on a JetAmerica flight originating from Toledo Express Airport between July 13 and August 13, 2009 will be provided travel consultant services via Atlas World Travel. The agents at Atlas World Travel will consult with our passengers to help them identify new travel arrangements. Toledo Express will cover booking fees for any passengers who use Atlas World Travel when making their new arrangements. (Passengers will be responsible for their airfare.) To initiate a consultation with Atlas World Travel, passengers must email their booking confirmation, daytime phone number and email address to Atlas World Travel at smiller@atlasworldtravel.com. Atlas World Travel and Toledo Express jointly host www.flytoledoexpress.com, the air passenger booking agent for Toledo Express Airport.

Free Parking at Toledo Express

All passengers who hold a valid ticket on a JetAmerica flight originating from Toledo Express Airport between July 13 and August 13, 2009 are eligible to receive up to five days of free parking at Toledo Express. To obtain the free parking voucher, travelers should email a copy of their confirmation and proof of purchase along with their mailing address and daytime phone number to Toledo Express Airport at contactus@toledoportauthority.org.

“Though we are disappointed to hear about this situation, our first priority is with our customers,” says Michael J. Stolarczyk, President and CEO of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. “Toledo Express is providing travel agent consulting services via Atlas World Travel to assist our affected passengers as they rebook their flights and will cover their booking fees if they choose to rebook via Atlas. We are also offering the affected passengers free parking the next time they fly from Toledo Express. Though we have no control over flight schedules or delays such as this, we have asked our community to support us and we appreciate that support and are trying to mitigate their inconvenience as much as possible.”

In May, JetAmerica announced the start of non-stop service from Toledo Express (TOL) to Melbourne International Airport in Florida (MLB) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in New Jersey.  JetAmerica also announced that non-stop service from Toledo Express to Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) would begin on August 14, 2009. 

The news release from JetAmerica is attached to this communication.

The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority’s business is transportation. That business is shaped by our mission to move people and cargo through the region while employing innovative finance programs to stimulate economic development. For more information, please visit www.toledoportauthority.org.

 

 

Carla Firestone

Director of Communications

Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority

Mobile - 419-260-9981

Phone - 419-243-8251

Fax - 419-243-1835