COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Skybus Airlines announced late Friday it will end operations effective Saturday, April 5, and file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday, April 7. According to a news release, all flights will be completed on Friday. Beginning Saturday morning, all future Skybus flights will be cancelled. We deeply regret this decision, and the impact this will have on our employees and their families, our customers, our vendors and other partners, and the communities in which we have been operating, said Michael Hodge, Skybus CEO. Skybus struggled to overcome the combination of rising jet fuel costs and a slowing economic environment. These two issues proved to be insurmountable for a new carrier. Passengers holding reservations on Skybus flights are advised to contact their credit card companies for information on how to obtain refunds for purchased Skybus tickets. More information for customers and others will be provided on the Skybus web site following the formal bankruptcy filing. Skybus, based in Columbus, Ohio, began operating on May 22, 2007, and at the time it ceased flying was operating 11 aircraft making 80 daily flights to 15 cities around the United States. The airline operated a hub at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro. Skybus has approximately 450 employees, 350 based in Columbus and the remainder at the hub at PTIA. Employees were notified of the airlines action Friday.

-- Edited by firefly at 14:23, 2008-04-05