Iceland-based WOW Air has cancelled all flights and ceased operations, leaving travelers stranded around the globe.
“Wow Air has ceased operation. All Wow Air flights have been canceled,” reads a travel alert on the company’s Website. It’s unclear how many passengers were affected mid-trip by the shutdown. The airline is encouraging those travelers to seek “rescue fares” with other carriers.
It was a fairly short flight for Wow. The carrier began service in 2012, but quickly jumped onto the radar of bargain hunters with its low international fares. At its peak, it offered service to Iceland and Europe from 12 U.S. Cities, often for $99 and sometimes for as low as $65.
The carrier ran into financial trouble last year and in November Icelandair Group announced it would buy the budget carrier. That deal fell apart within weeks and collapsed completely last weekend.
While people liked the prices on Wow Air, the service was often viewed less favorably. Passengers were allowed a personal item on-board, but had to pay for a carry-on or checked bag. And the cheap seats were cramped. (For a “standard” seat, passengers had to pay extra.)
The airline’s collapse will reduce international flights from Boston, Detroit, Newark and Washington, D.C.