Canadian discount airline ticket

Canadian airline shuts down, strands LAX fliers

A small Canadian airline went out of business Friday, stranding a handful of fliers at LAX, officials said.

Jetsgo, which has three round-trip flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Toronto each week, will not offer refunds or help passengers make other arrangements.

"Passengers are advised to make alternative travel arrangements prior to going to the airport as there will be no Jetsgo staff or aircraft available," a statement on the company's Web site stated. "Given difficult market conditions resulting from competitive pressures in the Canadian airline industry, Jetsgo has determined that, in the circumstances, it is prudent and responsible to discontinue its operations and ground all of its planes."

The Jetsgo Web site posted the press release shortly early Friday morning announcing that it was ceasing all operations immediately.

There were no staffers at the Jetsgo ticket counter to answer questions, not even a sign to explain why, LAX spokeswoman Nancy Castles said.

"This is the first time in the last 10 years that I can remember that airport staff had to step in to provide that assistance," Castles said.

Castles said only seven of the 155 people booked for the flight came to the airport. She directed the out-of-towners to the Traveler's Aid station to find other flights and hotel accommodations. Only a couple were from the Los Angeles area.

"Their biggest disappointment was that Jetsgo made no arrangements with other airlines to honor their tickets," Castles said. "So the passengers were on their own to try to negotiate discount fares and avoid the high last-minutes fares."

The cancellations should have little impact because Jetsgo planes could hold only a maximum of 165 passengers, for a total of about 1,000 passengers a week, Castles said.

For more information, visit www.cta.gc.ca or www.jetsgo.net.