(FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) – The Massachusetts Port Authority gave more than $1 million to a struggling airline.
The Worcester Telegram and Gazette obtained the internal e-mails and records that showed Massport officials knew as early as last summer that Direct Air was in trouble.
Last July, Massport gave the discount airline a subsidy to fund a TV and radio advertising campaign. But they failed to make any payments and had not been paying the ground crew.
Direct Air was the only commercial airline flying out of Worcester Regional Airport.
The airline's parent company filed for bankruptcy protection in March, stranding passengers who already booked flights.