Say There Was No Communication From Management That Company Was Insolvent

Pilots flying for Island Airlines in Massachusetts were going about their daily business last Friday when a text message hit their phones shortly before noon. It said that flying would be suspended for the rest of the day due to fog.

Later that day, a message on the company website notified everyone, staff and the public alike, that the airline was ceasing operations after 24 years. It is not expected to file for bankruptcy.

Capt. Ian Brand, who had the fateful Friday off, said there was no communication with the airline's pilots, according to a report in the Cape Cod Times. "None whatsoever," he told the paper. "There were rumors," he said but he didn't believe them.

There had been signs, however. The company stopped offering health insurance in 2013, which made recruiting new pilots difficult. Brand had been flying six days a week for the carrier, because two of its 10 pilots were out on sick leave.

Former customers who talked to the paper said they hope that Cape Air will "step up" and add the direct route to Nantucket Island. Many regular commuters bought books of 10 tickets, and have now been left with no way to get a refund. The paper reports that queries to the Island Airlines Facebook page have gone unanswered, and a phone recording says only that the airline has stopped flying with no opportunity to leave a message.

FMI: www.islandair.net