Silver Airways Ceases Operations: Impact on Florida and Caribbean Travel
Fort Lauderdale-based Silver Airways announced Wednesday that it is ceasing operations.
“In an attempt to restructure in bankruptcy, Silver entered into a transaction to sell its assets to another airline holding company, who unfortunately has determined not to continue Silver’s flight operations,” according to a company announcement
Silver Airways flew routes in Florida, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and other Caribbean airports.
Bimini, Nassau and Freeport were among the Bahamas destinations served by Silver.
The airline advised passengers with tickets or booked flights not to go to the airport and to expect a refund through credit card companies or travel agencies.
SIlver Airways had a hub in Fort Lauderdale and also flew to Tampa, Tallahassee, Key West and Pensacola. Earlier this year, it halted flights at Orlando International Airport as it operated in bankruptcy.
The airline put itself up for sale but did not get any bidders, paving the way for a financial acquisition.
CEO Steven Rossum notified about 350 of the company’s remaining employees via email of what was to come late Tuesday, the Sun Sentinel reported.
“It is with a heavy heart that I share the difficult news that, after months navigating through Chapter 11 bankruptcy, our journey at Silver Airways is coming to an end for most of us,” he wrote. “Wexford Capital—our DIP lender—has informed us they will no longer support operations or, except for a few, retain our employees. As a result, Silver Airways will cease operations on Wednesday June 11 and begin the wind-down process. A small group will be asked to stay on temporarily to assist with asset management and records. Those individuals will be contacted directly. Seaborne will continue to operate as scheduled.”
Seaborne Airlines is an affiliated carrier that serves the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Silver Airways history
Silver Airways was founded from the bankrupt Gulfstream International Airways in late 2011. Silver upgraded at the time by purchasing six Saab 340Bplus turboprop planes that had 34 seats and an eye-catching fuchsia, silver and dark gray aircraft design. A pink flamingo became its logo.
Gulfstream had smaller 19-seat Beechcraft 1900D aircraft on its Florida- Bahamas routes.
Silver’s original CEO Dave Pflieger evoked images of aviation’s golden era of the 1950s when traveling on airlines like Pan Am and TWA carried a sophisticated air. Frank Sinatra got into the spirit with his hipster travel-themed “Come Fly With Me” album in 1957.
“It’s almost sort of nostalgic-days-of-old flying, the Elizabeth Taylor era of walking on the tarmac, getting on the airplane, looking at the window and seeing the propellers,” Pflieger told the Herald in 2012. “Our flying hearkens back to the age-old flying.”
The airline once flew passengers to nine Cuban cities outside Havana on 34-seat planes but ceased service to Cuba in 2017, citing weak demand. The company had started sending flights to Cuba about a year earlier.
This report will be updated.
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