(18 Jun 1996) English/Nat

The announcement of the shutdown of the ValuJet airline following the crash in May has caused a mixed reaction.

Some feel the F-A-A acted too slowly, and should have clamped down on the company's safety procedures long before.

But passengers left stranded at airports were angry at the decision.

Customers who stuck to ValuJet despite the delays, cancellations and cutbacks imposed since the crash of Flight 592 struggled Monday night to deal with the airline's sudden shutdown.

Many are unhappy with the closure of the airline. They appreciate the low prices charged by ValuJet and are unsure where to turn now that flights aren't available. Others are furious at the inconvenience they've suffered.

SOUNDBITE:
I called up ValuJet but they told me to come here
Q: And now there's nobody here to help you
No
Q: So what's the next step?
I don't know, I've no idea.

SUPER CAPTION: VOXPOP

SOUNDBITE:
You know I have faith in them, enough to make another reservation with them.....I don't know what they're going to do now.

SUPER CAPTION: VOXPOP

SOUNDBITE:
They're going to pay for a hotel tonight because I'm not going to pay for a hotel, I refuse to.

SUPER CAPTION: VOXPOP

SOUNDBITE:
My boyfriend and I said thank you very much but we'd like a ticket on another airline so we've had nothing but similar experiences with ValuJet. The gentleman at the gate told us he'd refund our money but wouldn't put us on another airline, and I hate to admit this but I told him my main satisfaction would be they wouldn't be in business for very much longer the way they were running their company.

SUPER CAPTION: VOXPOP

Although customers have been given vouchers for their continuing flights they've got to make up the difference in the cost of their return flights on other airlines.

But ValuJet is confident it can resume cut price flights within 30 days.

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