Oct. 8 — HARLINGEN — Sun Country Airlines has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but the St. Paul, Minn.-based airline will continue to fly its regular schedule, including flights to Valley International Airport, airline officials said.
Michael Browning, VIA's aviation director, said Sun Country does not owe the city or the airport any money and last flew into Harlingen in April.
Sun Country represents less than 20 percent of VIA's passenger business, but the airline would be missed if service stopped, said Browning, who is also board chairman of the Harlingen Convention and Visitors Bureau.
"It's an important service," he said.
It isn't the first time Sun Country has filed for bankruptcy, but Browning said the airline is a solid company.
"They had to go through this before, after the Sept. 11 (2001 terrorist attacks), but they came back," he said.
Sun Country provides seasonal air service to Harlingen and other locations from Minnesota during winter months, serving mainly retirees who stay in the Rio Grande Valley, Browning said.
In the airline's statement, company officials said service will continue as before the bankruptcy filing.
"Petters Aviation-owned Sun Country Airlines will continue to fly its regular schedule and charter service," company officials said.
"Stan Gadek, chief executive officer of Sun Country Airlines, said that the (federal fraud investigation of Petters Group Worldwide) will in no way impact Sun Country.
"We are owned by Petters Aviation, which is a separate non-affected company. It is business as usual at Sun Country and we do not anticipate any impact from these events.
"We continue to focus on improving our business in a challenging environment of high fuel prices and extending our recent profitable performance."
Bill Martin, of the HCVB, echoed Browning's comments.
"Winter Texans are important to our economy," he said. "Sun Country is a valuable partner in getting those Winter Texans to our community."
