Via Airlines Filing for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

Via made the voluntary Chapter 11 filing in Florida Middle Bankruptcy Court on Oct. 8, citing a pilot shortage and a July deal for Atlanta-based Ashley Air LLC to buy Via.

By William Thornton

Source Alabama Media Group, Birmingham (TNS)

Oct. 17, 2019

A Florida-based airline that picked Birmingham as a focus city has filed for bankruptcy protection, according to the Orlando Business Journal.

Via Airlines announced back in May that it would no longer serve the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport or the Mobile Regional Airport.

Company officials at the time cited challenges in recruiting and training qualified crews as the reason to suspend flights.

Via made the voluntary Chapter 11 filing in Florida Middle Bankruptcy Court on Oct. 8, the Journal reported. The company cited a pilot shortage and a July deal for Atlanta-based Ashley Air LLC to buy Via. That deal resulted in unpaid taxes, rent and payments to creditors, the company said. The Journal reported a bankruptcy partner saying that Via is going through the bankruptcy process in order to resume doing business later.

Via, citing a gross income for fiscal year 2018 of $15.22 million, owes unsecured creditors more than $6 million, along with two property liens of approximately $115,000 and $3.5 million. The IRS says it is owed $660,000,

———

Visit Alabama Media Group, Birmingham at www.al.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.