Minnesotans Planning to Flee from State!

[MineralMan]

It's true. I needed to change my Christmas flight to California to a later date. I recently returned from a trip out there when my Mom was hospitalized, and my wife and I just can't afford to make two trips in one month. We both have work deadlines. So, I went to the airline's booking page to find a couple of flights, so I could call and change the dates before the original date of the flight. That's the rule, and we had already paid for the flight. No problem, I figured. I've done that more than once.

I started checking dates in early February. Literally nothing was available for a party of two flying from MSP to LAX, except a couple of red-eye flights that are really out of the question. Not for the entire month. March? Same story for dates that work out for my wife's work schedule. Sun Country flies just three round-trip flights per day between those two cities, and they were all booked solid.

It wasn't until April that I could find a flight that worked for our five-day trip. April!

It finally came to me why that was. It's freaking Winter here. Everyone who can afford to get on a plane going somewhere warm gets on a plane and goes to that warm place. I didn't check other airlines, because I had to stick with Sun Country, but I suspect that Delta and American have the same problem, along with significantly higher prices.

So, we're heading for California in April - two months later than I planned. My parents will be disappointed, but there it is. The Good News is that it's still cold as can be in early April in Minnesota, so we'll still get to escape for a few days.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Don't count on those cheap flights forever.

Sun Country was just purchased by Apollo Global Management, a private equity firm that specializes in leveraged buyout transactions and purchases of distressed securities involving corporate restructuring, special situations, and industry consolidations. The airline has only 26 airplanes, and although it had been doing pretty well under its most recent ownership, kroner to kruggerands says Apollo will sell it to a bigger airline, maybe Delta.

[MineralMan]

2. Yes, I know.

I worry about that, too. However, the flight is booked. It will take a while for the new owner to screw everything up, I think.

I doubt that Delta really wants Sun Country, although it might buy the airline just to shut it down, I suppose. It's had a good run, flying to lots of fun places out of MSP. I remember when it was a charter airline, selling bargain-priced travel and lodging packages to Vegas and other places to Minnesotans looking for an escape.

When the Cambria company bought it, I knew it would be a short-lived ownership. Now, I suppose it will get gobbled up by a larger airline and disappear, as have so many others. In the meantime, I'll still fly on it.

The last flight I took on Sun Country used a chartered plane, which the airline sometimes uses during peak periods.

Here's a hint, though: Sun Country recently moved into Terminal 5 at LAX. That terminal is otherwise all American Airlines. That may be a hint about the next owner and the disappearance of the brand. Still, maybe American will keep the brand to use for a budget-price no-frills subsidiary. I dunno.

[brooklynite]

3. Actually, I picked a random date in Feb and DL had seats on six non-stops...

I think your basic problem is Sun Country.

[MineralMan]

4. No doubt the problem is with Sun Country.

However, since I already held paid for tickets on that airline for Christmas Eve, I needed to change the date of the flight, or lose my money. I really did not want to throw away that much money, so I rebooked on a date that was available. I will not travel on redeye flights, either. That ruins two days completely at my age.

So, we're going in April, and actually getting a voucher as a partial refund of the original cost for a more expensive flight around Christmas.

[dembotoz]

5. folks in wisconsin want to flee to minnesota...escape the looney walker

[MineralMan]

6. Fortunately, they can do that in their automobiles, pretty much.

Many do on a daily basis, as evidenced by the traffic jam that occurs on I-94 Westbound every weekday morning.