Thousands Of Passengers Stranded, Told To Make Other Arrangements

When budget carrier Air Australia found its self without the money to maintain its daily operations on Friday Australian time, it parked its planes and told thousands of passengers they need to make other travel arrangements.

That includes those who may have been far from home with tickets on the airline.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reports that the Brisbane-based airline flies to destinations like Hawaii, Bali, and Thailand. Passengers who may have been expecting to get home on Air Australia were told their tickets would not be honored.

The airline said it was talking to other carriers such as Qantas and Virgin in an effort to help get its stranded passengers home, a number believed to be around 4,000 people. But on its web site, the airline posted a list of "frequently asked questions" in which it tells passengers "In the short term, the fleet will be grounded. It currently appears that there are no funds available to meet operational expenses so flights will be suspended immediately. For clarity, it also appears highly unlikely there will be any flights in the short to medium term."

Passengers who have paid for tickets are told "The flight will not take place. You should make alternate arrangements. As the flights will not take place, you may be entitled to a refund. This is dependent on how you paid for your flight (i.e. cash, credit card) and / or from where you purchased the ticket (website, travel agent, etc.)."

FMI: www.airaustralia.com/~/media/Files/Air%20Australia%20FAQs.ashx