Kiwi "flightless" like the bird?
 

I read in our local JERZEE paper "The Star-
Ledger of Newark" business section that KIWI
airlines (named for the flightless bird) is in serious financial straits AGAIN! They are
delaying paychecks and trying to buy a few
airlines to keep costs down.

This poor airline! I have not flown them but
would be curious to know if anyone here has.

I think they used to have an FF program. It
would be sad if KIWI goes the way of Eastern,
Braniff, Sir Freddie Laker's plan, Western,
Pacific, People's Express (and RENO?) CATMAN

i hav flon on a kiwi and ther ff program is caled greenfruit. i hav ovr 200,000 mils in
greenfruit.

I used them once about 1 year ago from TPA to MDW (when they still flew into TPA). I was curious--supposedly they had good service and comfortable planes. Service wasn't bad but it was interesting to fly on a Trans Meridian plane--some sort of a lease program. Everything was fine, but just interesting. I was just adding up my strange airlines this year---Kiwi, America Trans Air(ATA--actually not bad at all), Eastwind (one last minute flight TPA-IAD went fine, but I had a colleague (not a dummy--she knows how to travel) that found herself in Fort Lauderdale on Eastwind (instead of Tampa)--they did a aircraft change and didn't mention it at Greensboro.
They've left here too. Tried to take Midwest Express (on the other hand) to the North for the holidays but couldn't get it straightened out (they are a treat to fly--if you get the chance do so)

KIWI was established, I think, by some Eastern guys who thought they could make it on thei own. One of my regular DC area cab drivers is a former Eastern - Kiwi pilot. I don't think I'd want to fly with him in the left front seat.

Arturo: Kiwi hasn't yet flown 200,000 miles

correct me if i am wrong, but i think that kiwi had some problems last year around the holiday. they stranded passengers and shut down ops so that they could work out something in court. I believe that they are public. You know, i am really bewildered as to why anyone would want to start up an airline anyway. the costs seem staggering and the potential for loss seems extremely likely. Let's take pan am for instance. great idea, great name, problems for everyone. Martin shugrue was an airline exec who said himself, that pan am would have the lowest costs of any airline out there. well, what happened? he not only took down pan am, but carnival as well. so, why do these people continue to try? is AirTran next?