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Starting as Sun Jet, airline had ups, downs
The original Southeast was founded in 1993, ended up in bankruptcy court and was relaunched in '98.
By STEVE HUETTEL
Published December 2, 2004
The demise of Southeast Airlines ended an often turbulent run for the Tampa Bay area's only local airline and owner P. Thomas Kolfenbach.
Kolfenbach founded the original version of Southeast in 1993 as a no-frills airline offering deep discount fares between Newark, N.J., and Florida.
Sun Jet International Airlines was based in Largo and stayed out of the way of major carriers, which decided not to match its $69 one-way fares to Newark. Besides selling tickets to the public, Sun Jet flew charter flights for casino tour operators.
Kolfenbach sold the company in 1995 to John Mansour, a Michigan home builder. Mansour hired a veteran of TWA and American Airlines with grand plans to expand the airline.
Then came the crash of a ValuJet plane in the Everglades in May 1996. Public confidence in low-cost airlines was shattered, and big airlines lowered fares to steal business away from Sun Jet and other discounters.
Sun Jet got behind in its bills and ended up in bankruptcy court. Kolfenbach bought back the assets and relaunched the carrier as Southeast in 1998.
Southeast initially stuck to flying for charter customers, carrying passengers that included federal prisoners, the White House press corps and gamblers headed for Atlantic City, N.J., and Biloxi, Miss.
But Kolfenbach thought the business of leasing planes and crews was too chancy as tour operators cut back after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Southeast shifted to selling scheduled flights to the public.
After trying unsuccessfully to fly from Florida to Atlanta and to Charlotte, N.C. - major hubs for Delta and US Airways, respectively - Kolfenbach aimed for cities on the edge of large metropolitan areas.
Southeast fared better in such cities as Allentown, Pa., and Newburgh, N.Y., but fell victim to high jet fuel costs and cut-rate fares offered by major airlines flying to nearby big cities.
Steve Huettel can be reached at huettel@sptimes.com or 813 226-3384.
[Last modified December 2, 2004, 00:07:13]
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