Carrier Leaving Several Markets; Future Unclear

Fueling rumors that the nation's most infamous low-cost carrier may soon be no more, Hooters Air announced this week the airline is ending service to two Pennsylvania airports -- and will also apparently leave the Tampa Bay, FL market for good in April.

"Hooters is ceasing service pretty much everywhere," said Barry Centini, director of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP), one of two state airports -- along with Allentown's Lehigh Valley (ABE) -- left watching as Hooters Air exits the stage. Officials in Allentown say they're also watching as Hooters Air leaves with $1 million in unpaid fuel costs.

Adding to the airline's apparent woes is the announcement the carrier has stopped selling flights at St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) after April 17.

"It appears Hooters Air is leaving our market," said Clearwater airport director Noah Lagos to the Myrtle Beach (SC) Sun News. "They're looking at what markets they serve and I think they're trying to figure out if they're going to stay in business or not."

After also slashing flights to Columbus, OH; Gary, IN; and Rockford, IL earlier this year, the carrier is left with a schedule that is as skimpy as... well, you know. Hooters had promised to renew flights to Gary and Columbus this month, but has yet to do so.

The tiny airline -- which leases a small fleet of Boeing 737s, and one 757, from Pace Airlines -- attracted big publicity when it went online in 2003, and enjoyed a fair degree of success in its first couple of years of operation. Each flight features two Hooters "waitresses" onboard.

The airline has since fallen victim, however, to the same high fuel prices and industry-wide financial woes currently being felt among all domestic airlines.

Airline president Mark Peterson said Thursday he was "not ready to comment" on rumors the airline may soon be going Tango-Uniform... literally.

FMI: www.hootersair.com