World Atlantic Airlines (WL, Miami International) has been fined $180,000 USD by the US Department of Transportation for cancelling public charter flights it had committed to operate on behalf of bankrupt public charter carrier Direct Air (Myrtle Beach International). Under US legislation, the aircraft operator of a public charter flight is not allowed to cancel flights within 10 days from the departure date and needs to carry round-trip passengers back to their origin. World Atlantic had continued to operate flights even though Direct Air had not yet paid for them and then cancelled future flights with less than 10 days advance notice because of non-payment by Direct Air.