Via Airlines (Orlando International) has filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy at the Florida Middle Bankruptcy Court and plans to restructure through the court-mandated procedure and eventually fly again, the Orlando Business Journal has reported.
The airline said in its filing that it was unable to continue operations in May 2019 due to pilot shortage.
Via Airlines also said that Ashley Air, an Atlanta-based business charter broker which agreed to buy Via Airlines and its parent ViaAir, did not fulfil its duties. According to the filing, Ashley Air misrepresented its financial position, forcing Via Airlines to default on a number of loans and overdue taxes. The new owners also did not pay the airline's staff.
ViaAir was a virtual carrier with all scheduled and charter flights operated by its technical subsidiary and AOC holder Via Airlines using three E120s and five E145s. All eight Embraer aircraft have been inactive since at least May 2019 and are currently in storage at Orlando Sanford (six units), Great Falls, and Clarksburg (one each).
Via Airlines did not respond to ch-aviation's question for comment on the ongoing bankruptcy protection process.
