Ata Airlines Inc

Travelers with visions of Waikiki, sandy beaches and island cruises were stranded Thursday at Los Angeles International Airport and across the nation as low-fare carrier ATA Airlines Inc. abruptly grounded all flights and ceased operations. A single sheet of paper posted at an empty ticket counter at LAX delivered the bad news for travelers on the carrier's three scheduled daily flights from Los Angeles to Hawaii. Passengers scrambled -- with limited success -- to make alternative arrangements.

Travelers with visions of Waikiki, sandy beaches and island cruises were stranded Thursday at Los Angeles International Airport and across the nation as low-fare carrier ATA Airlines Inc. abruptly grounded all flights and ceased operations. A single sheet of paper posted at an empty ticket counter at LAX delivered the bad news for travelers on the carrier's three scheduled daily flights from Los Angeles to Hawaii. Passengers scrambled -- with limited success -- to make alternative arrangements.

American Airlines, the world's largest carrier, will accept only credit and debit card payment for food, drinks and other items in a test this month on some flights. The trial will make onboard sales more efficient for flight attendants and help the carrier determine whether passengers prefer credit over cash when buying on board, the Fort Worth-based airline said Thursday.

Molokai closure Molokai, Hawaii's sleepiest major island, is getting sleepier. Molokai Ranch, a lodging and recreational hub, was expected to shut down its facilities this weekend. Two employees, who declined to be identified, said last week that the Lodge at Molokai Ranch, the Beach Village "tentalows" and the Kaluakoi Golf Course would close Saturday. Ranch officials could not be reached for comment. But in a news release last month, Peter Nicholas, chief executive of Molokai Properties Ltd.

The third small airline in a week shut down Friday as Skybus Airlines, a carrier that offered $10 fares from Burbank to Columbus, Ohio, called it quits. All three carriers -- Skybus, ATA Airlines Inc. and Aloha Airgroup Inc., parent of Aloha Airlines -- blamed high fuel costs and the slowing economy for their demise. Friday's announcement culminated one of the more tumultuous weeks for the airline industry in recent times.

Low-cost carriers AirTran Airways, JetBlue Airways Corp. and Southwest Airlines Co. took the top three spots in a national survey of airline quality, while the industry overall fared poorly amid rising fuel prices and increasingly fed-up consumers. At the bottom of the list released Monday were Comair, American Eagle and, in last place, Atlantic Southeast Airlines. The last year "was the worst year ever for the U.S.

The nation's air travelers may be wondering whether last week's three airline shutdowns signal more trouble ahead. But a bigger concern this spring may be the likelihood of more flight delays, jammed planes and even higher ticket prices. With rising fuel costs, fewer planes in the sky and heightened safety concerns with aging aircraft, travelers can expect flights to be more expensive, crowded and late, giving passengers more reasons not to fly this year.

Forty years after United Airlines first urged travelers to "fly the friendly skies," the airline is at the center of industry upheaval that could decide which major carriers stay airborne. Loss-ridden and fighting for its life, United last week won approval from the judge overseeing its bankruptcy case to hand off its underfunded pension plans to a federal agency. The airline, the main division of UAL Corp.