Air Vanuatu files for bankruptcy protection after canceling more than 20 flights

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Air Vanuatu has filed for bankruptcy protection a day after the South Pacific state-owned carrier cancelled all international flights. Ernst & Young Australia’s Morgan Kelly, Justin Walsh and Andrew Hanson were appointed liquidators on Friday in a local equivalent of a U.S. Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Thousands of travelers have been left stranded by the cancelations. The airline cancelled more than 20 flights to and from the Australian cities of Sydney, Brisbane and the New Zealand city of Auckland for the rest of the week on Wednesday. The airline said was the result of “extended maintenance requirements” on their aircraft. EY said it would conduct safety and maintenance checks before the resumption of normal operations.