A bumpy week for Sun Country

It's been a tough week for Sun Country. The airline had budgeted a short-term loan in October from parent company Petters Group Worldwide to help it through the slow travel season of October and November. With Tom Petters the target of a federal fraud investigation, that financing is no longer an option. The company has asked employees to take a temporary 50 percent pay cut, which would be reimbursed in 2009. Then low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines announced it will enter the Twin Cities market. The news has led to concern and questions about the Sun Country.

Q Can I confidently book a flight on Sun Country?

A No need to panic. Credit-card companies hold payment to the airline until the flight occurs. If you don't fly, you don't pay. Terry Trippler, a Minneapolis-based travel expert, said he wouldn't hesitate to book a winter trip on Sun Country. For its part, Sun Country is adamant that it will be flying and said the business is very close to being profitable -- something that hasn't happened since the mid 1990s. Nonetheless, you might want to proceed with caution. For a trip that you absolutely can't miss -- your March honeymoon to Mexico, for example -- Travel Troubleshooter columnist Christopher Elliott said you might want to choose another airline. He also advised anyone booking a flight on Sun Country not to pay by cash or check.

Q Will there be fewer flights?

A Not for the leisure traveler, which is the core Sun Country customer. In fact, as the airline gears up for the winter season, it will offer more flights to warm-weather destinations. However, flights to San Francisco and Washington, D.C., will not be offered during the winter months; they aren't profitable at that time of year.

Q Southwest Airlines will begin service from MSP to Chicago in March. Couldn't this further weaken Sun Country?

A Absolutely, in that Southwest is another low-cost carrier. However, while Sun Country flies virtually all non-stops, Southwest's only non-stop from MSP at this point will be Chicago.

A "I just flew Sun Country [after the pay cut was announced] and the attitude of the flight attendants was phenomenal," said Trippler. The airline hasn't been plagued by the long labor disputes that have produced the bitterness that is so noticeable on many other airlines, so employees may maintain their usual chipper demeanor. No plans yet to wean fans off the free hot sandwiches.

Q I'm not planning to fly Sun Country; why should I care?

A The airline is extremely valuable to the Twin Cities market, said Trippler, who noted that its presence has kept airfares low to many markets. For example, a search late last week found a Northwest Airlines roundtrip ticket to New York City's LaGuardia Airport on Oct. 23 costing $565; a roundtrip ticket to nearby John F. Kennedy International airport, which is also served by Sun Country, came in at $301. But beyond the savings, Trippler said the airline also has provided travelers with the kind of service that most of us haven't seen since the 1970s.

Elizabeth Larsen 612-673-7110