Sun Country set to emerge from bankruptcy

Sun Country Airlines said a judge has confirmed the airline's reorganization plan and the carrier will soon exit bankruptcy.

The Mendota Heights-based airline filed for bankruptcy days after the head of its parent company, Tom Petters, was arrested for fraud. Sun Country CEO Stan Gadek said the airline is now profitable and poised to grow.

"We're going to be growing the company by adding three permanent airplanes and that's going to create over 100 new jobs at Sun Country Airlines," Gadek said. "We're very proud of that and it reflects the successful turnaround that we've had here at Sun Country Airlines."

The additional planes will give Sun Country a total of 12 aircraft. The bankruptcy filing allowed Sun Country to avoid being overseen by a trustee following a court-ordered freeze of Tom Petters' assets.

Meanwhile, Petters is serving a 50-year sentence for heading the largest financial fraud in Minnesota history.

The carrier currently has some 700 employees, the vast majority of which are in the Twin Cities. The airline has been flying under various owners since 1983. Sun Country expects to carry 1.3 million passengers this year.

In the summer, Sun Country provides scheduled flights to 14 destinations, in winter, 24. Historically, Sun Country has been credited with helping keep fares down on the routes it flies. Lately, the airline has focused on increasing charter flights for military personnel and sports teams.

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