Top News
Most Read
Most E-mailed
E-mail Article
Print Article
Carrier Will End Flights Sept. 1: ExpressJet Cites Rising Fuel Costs
Jul. 10--Fourteen months after introducing service as a branded airline, ExpressJet has announced it will suspend service Sept. 2.
The Houston-based airline's last passenger flights will be Sept. 1, with refunds issued to customers holding tickets for flights after that date.
"If we had any other choice, we would not take this difficult action," said Jim Ream, president and CEO, in a statement released Tuesday. "However, rising fuel prices has made the operation impossible to sustain."
ExpressJet introduced service to Monterey in May 2007, with 50-seater jets offering two daily round-trip flights between Monterey and Ontario and San Diego, adding service to Long Beach in November. In May, the company had announced plans to add a Sacramento route starting Aug. 23.
ExpressJet Airlines Inc. is a subsidiary of Houston-based ExpressJet Holdings. The company also operates ExpressJet Services LLC, which provides training and maintenance services to other airlines or aviation businesses, and a charter service. Before launching service as ExpressJet on April 2, 2007, the company had been flying for a decade as a regional jet service under the name Continental Express.
In the past 14 months, ExpressJet tried to carve out a niche as a convenient option for travelers who wanted to avoid major commercial airports, connecting smaller regional airports with short flights at lower costs than most major carriers. The airline's jets offered such amenities as leather seats, satellite
radio and valet service.
The airline will continue to fly under contract with Continental Airlines as a regional provider.
