Today we talk about making your Hawaiian Vacation Special. Hawaii has something for just about everyone except gamblers. The question is, how can you make your trip memorable and unique? We discuss some ways to do just that and also talk about a podcast listener question from Mike who wants to know about helicopter rides. We also go over some packages that have been booked in the last 24 hours and welcome new customers to our Ohana (family)
Today we talk about everything from rental cars in Hawaii to booking your vacation over the Christmas holiday in response to some podcast listener questions we’ve received.
We talk about the fluctuating prices on car rentals and the average price you should pay for a car rental in Hawaii. We discuss options for a family vacation for next year and discuss whether it makes sense to plan that far in advance for a trip in March or April of next year. We also go over packages that have been booked in the last 24 to 48 hours including a $18,000 package for six people who are spending 14 days visiting three islands. While that sounds like a lot of money it’s an incredible value when you hear how much these folks are getting for their dollar.
We learned late last night that ATA, a discount airline which services Hawaii from Los Angeles Oakland, Phoenix, and Las Vegas canceled all their fights and has gone out of business. Coming on the heels of the Aloha Airlines bankruptcy, this is yet another blow for travelers who wish to come to Hawaii. The company issued a statement Wednesday night saying they could not stay in business after losing a key contract for military charter flights. These charter flights were a big part of their business and they say they cannot operate without that income.
For those of you who are holding ATA tickets with our agency, we are working diligently to get through each of the bookings and find options for you. We are working on a priority basis handling the bookings that have immediate need first. With regards to cancellation fees and re-booking fees, we are working to keep those at a minimum and try not to charge any fees at all. If you’re thinking about calling your credit card company contact us first before you do that because chances are that’s not going to yield you much benefit either. The credit card company needs to get the money from somebody and if the airline is out of business, there is a good chance you will not get any monies back. Our hope is that we will be able to minimize the costs are customers as much as possible. Please be patient with us as we will work as fast as we can to get your booking finalized and settled.
The company issued this statement on its Web site:
"After filing for Chapter 11 on April 2, 2008 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Indianapolis, IN, ATA Airlines has discontinued all operations and cancelled all current and future flights. Following the loss of a key contract for our military charter business, it became impossible for ATA to continue operations. Unfortunately, we were not in a position to provide our customers or others with advance notice.
"We apologize for the disruption caused by the sudden shutdown of ATA and regret the impact on passengers, employees, suppliers, and other parties. ATA customers should seek alternative arrangements for current and future travel. A list of other airlines serving ATA’s destinations is available here.
"ATA customers who purchased tickets using a credit card should contact their credit card company or travel agency directly for information about how to obtain a refund for unused tickets.
"ATA currently is unable to provide refunds to customers who purchased tickets directly from ATA with cash or a check. These customers may be able to obtain a full or partial refund for their unused tickets by submitting a claim in ATA’s Chapter 11 proceedings. Information about submitting a claim will be available at the following website: http://www.bmcgroup.com/ataairlines.
"Customers who purchased tickets from Southwest Airlines for flights operated by ATA under the codeshare agreement should contact Southwest Airlines directly at (800) 308-5037."
Today we talk about everything from rental cars in Hawaii to booking your vacation over the Christmas holiday in response to some podcast listener questions we’ve received. 
We learned late last night that ATA, a discount airline which services Hawaii from Los Angeles Oakland, Phoenix, and Las Vegas canceled all their fights and has gone out of business. Coming on the heels of the Aloha Airlines bankruptcy, this is yet another blow for travelers who wish to come to Hawaii. The company issued a statement Wednesday night saying they could not stay in business after losing a key contract for military charter flights. These charter flights were a big part of their business and they say they cannot operate without that income.
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