Update 11: Independence Air to Shut Down on Thursday

[54anickel]

http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/feeds/ap/2006/01/02/ap2423550.html

Independence Air, which won fans with its low fares, announced plans Monday to cease operations just days into the new year.

The carrier said its money troubles will force it to cancel all departures after 7 p.m. Thursday. The end came less than 19 months after the airline's first takeoff.

"Things traditionally in the airline industry slow down drastically in January, so the total number of people that are going to be affected by this is much less than it would have been during the holiday season," said Rick DeLisi, a spokesman for Independence Air.

snip>

Thursday will be last day of work for most of the 2,700 employees, though about 180 will remain to close out the carrier's affairs.

more...

[znowboarding]

1. LOL I thought you were talking about

a radio show not an airline....

[SharonAnn]

2. We're sad in Knoxville because we finally had a discount airline. And

the trip we took last summer to Seattle (through Dulles) was on excellent planes. Good service, room for our legs (we're both tall).

Sorry to lost them. And, of course, the major carrier air fares will just go right back up again so that it'll be cheaper to fly out of Nashville or Atlants (3 hour drives each way).

[NashVegas]

3. I Flew Independence Once

Got stuck in Dulles each time for a massively late connecting flight. Got stuck in Nashville several hours waiting for a late flight. The fares were nice, but they were too unstable to want to use them again.

[soothsayer]

4. Wah! I still have leftover credit for a future flight with them. Drat.

They were soooo convenient (and I had no problems with my flight).

[Puglover]

5. I wonder when

the American public AND the administration will get the fact that flying ain't a bus ride. It takes professional people making a decent wage and REALISTIC air fares to keep an airline solvent.