Bankrupt carrier ATA Airlines announced Tuesday it was ending all flights to and from Indianapolis because of financial problems and increased competition.
"The support we have received from the people of Indianapolis made this decision extremely difficult," said John Denison, chief executive and president of ATA Holdings Corp., which owns the carrier and ATA Charter.
"Despite everyone's desire to retain service to the city, market forces beyond our control left us with no other viable alternative," he said.
All ATA Airlines flights to and from Indianapolis International Airport will end Jan. 10. The carrier is also ending service to Denver and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
ATA Holdings said it would keep its headquarters in Indianapolis, where it was founded 32 years ago, and will continue to lease office space at the airport.
The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October 2004. It has cut more than 3,000 jobs since it began downsizing from a work force of 7,800 people two years ago.
ATA Airlines had been the busiest at the Indianapolis airport, with 41 daily flights and 22 percent of all passengers, before dropping to just four daily flights since its bankruptcy filing.
Company executives said Tuesday's announcements may help it emerge from bankruptcy by early 2006.
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