Mainland airlines canceled hundreds of flights because of Hurricane Katrina, and for one of them the storm may hasten a Chapter 11 filing.
Most carriers would only approximate the number of cancellations, but United Airlines scratched more than 60 flights, and it has less of a route network across the Gulf States than Delta Air Lines, American Airlines or Continental Airlines do.
Delta Air Lines, already seen as likely to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy within two months, is now expected to file sooner rather than later, analysts said Monday, partly because of the unexpected costs of flight cancellations and partly because the temporary closure of seven refineries along the Gulf Coast is likely to further increase jet fuel costs.
Hawaii was likely to be more affected by jet fuel costs than by any specific hurricane disruption to Hawaii travel plans. No airline flies to Hawaii from the cities slammed hardest by Katrina. New Orleans, Biloxi and Mobile residents would have to fly to Atlanta to catch a Delta flight here, or to Houston to catch a Continental flight, or to Dallas-Ft. Worth to catch an American flight to Hawaii.
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