CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Beleaguered airline PEOPLExpress, which had planned to start direct flights from Charleston to Orlando, Florida, next Thursday, will instead remain grounded until further notice, the company announced Thursday.
Customers who had booked flights with the airline should receive refunds in the coming days.
The Newport News, Virginia-based carrier temporarily grounded itself Sept. 26 due to problems with both of its planes. The airline said it intended to restart operations on or about Oct. 16, the day it was set to begin flying its three-day-a-week flights between Yeager Airport and Orlando International.
But on Thursday the company said its service suspension would be continued indefinitely.
“We remain focused on getting back into the air as soon as possible and building the reliable service that our customers have asked for and deserve, with an unwavering focus on safety,” CEO Jeff Erickson said in a statement.
PEOPLExpress, which borrowed its name from the low-cost carrier that operated in the 1980s, had suffered a series of setbacks since its launch on June 30…
