MAXjet bankruptcy

If you’ve not heard it already, MAXjet declared itself bankrupt on Christmas Eve, leaving passengers scrambling to find alternative ways to make trips they thought they’d already safely booked. If you are one of these people, take note of the statement from their website which currently reads:

IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM MAXJET Information below regarding those who have booked travel Dear Friends of MAXjet: It is with deep regret that I must inform you that MAXjet filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy on 24 December 2007. With today’s fuel prices and the resulting impact on the credit climate for airlines, we are forced to take this drastic measure. Our top priority is to assist our customers, particularly those who already have begun their travel with us, in securing alternative flight accommodations. MAXjet has contracted with Eos Airlines for seats on Eos’ scheduled all-Premium service to accommodate passengers awaiting a return flight between New York and London. Passengers needing return travel between London, Los Angeles and Las Vegas will be contacted regarding their flight re-accommodations. Any customers who choose to make flight accommodations directly should seek a refund from their point of purchase (credit card or travel agency) for the unused leg of their journey. We have also secured hotel rooms in London, New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles through early January 2008 which we will provide to affected passengers whose travel plans have been disrupted. On behalf of the entire MAXjet family, we extend our apologies to you for the inconvenience. We are extremely saddened to discontinue a service that we so passionately believe in, and we thank our loyal flyers who helped build MAXjet since our start in 2005. Sincerely, William D. Stockbridge President and CE

I notice Silverjet have already taken advantage of the situation by sponsoring the term ‘MAXjet’ on Google AdWords, with their ad carrying the description “Maxjet – NY.Re-Book with Silverjet. Call 0844 855 0111 to Re-book Now.”   However, a question mark now obviously remains over MAXjet’s competitors and whether the concept of a business class only airline is truly viable.