---

– All Job Categories –  Accounting Admin & Clerical Automotive1 Banking1 Biotech1 Broadcast - Journalism1 Business Development Construction Consultant Customer Service Design Distribution - Shipping Education Engineering Entry Level Executive Facilities Finance General Business General Labor Government Health Care Hotel - Hospitality Human Resources Information Technology Insurance Inventory Legal Legal Admin Management Manufacturing Marketing Nurse Other Pharmaceutical Professional Services Purchasing - Procurement QA - Quality Control Research Restaurant - Food Service Retail - Grocery Sales Science Skilled Labor - Trades Strategy - Planning Supply Chain Telecommunications Training Transportation Warehouse

ExpressJet will end its daily flights between Fresno and Ontario, San Diego and Long Beach in September, adding its name to the list of air carriers making cutbacks as they struggle with rising fuel costs and a weakening economy.

Fresno Yosemite International Airport officials announced Wednesday that the Houston-based carrier would end its Fresno flights Sept. 2, and that people holding tickets for flights after that date should contact the company at (888) 958-9538 for refunds.

ExpressJet will end its "branded" services, flying planes under its own name, as well as the flights it operates for Delta Airlines, the company reported. Only the company's charter service and its flights as Continental Express will continue in other locations.

ExpressJet started its Fresno service in April 2007, but said in a news release that it was cutting back "due primarily to rising fuel prices, which have made the operations impossible to sustain."

Russ Widmar, aviation director at Fresno Yosemite International Airport, said ExpressJet's announcement was disappointing, but not surprising.

"We understand that this is purely a business decision during these turbulent economic times," he said in a news release.

With ExpressJet's departure, nine airlines now offer nonstop departures from Fresno's airport, which is owned and operated by the city of Fresno.

Those include two carriers serving the Southern California market -- United Express, with seven flights per day to Los Angeles International Airport, and American Eagle, which flies five flights per day to Los Angeles, said Vikkie Calderon, airport spokeswoman.

The airport would like to see more flights added to match increasing demand, she said. Ridership at the airport rose by about 9% this spring compared with the same period last year, and total passengers in 2007 stood at 1.3 million, up from 1 million in 2002.

But given the woes facing the airline industry, Fresno may not get more flights, Calderon said.

"Airlines are not expanding service or adding routes at this time," she said. "We're working on maintaining the current service that we have."

Michael Boyd, an aviation analyst in Evergreen, Colo., agreed with that assessment.

"It would be very tough" for Fresno to add flights, he said. "Keep in mind, the airline industry is in a total panic right now."

Airlines have been hurt by rising fuel prices, with the industry anticipated to pay 72% more for fuel this year compared to last year, according to the Air Transportation Association.

Carriers have responded by raising ticket prices and cutting back on flights, as well as announcing mergers and in some cases closing their doors.

UAL Corp.'s United Airlines announced last month that it would cut its domestic capacity by 17% to 18% in the next two years, close its Ted discount unit and cut 1,100 jobs. And AMR Corp.'s American Airlines said in May that it would cut its domestic capacity by 11% to 12% this fall.

Horizon Air, which flies from Seattle to Fresno, also plans to transition from three types of aircraft to a fleet of 76-seat Bombardier Q400s, an advanced turboprop, over the next two years to save on fuel costs.

Carriers that have closed down this year include Aloha Airlines, Skyway Airlines, Skybus Airlines, ATA Airlines and Champion Air.

And on the merger front, Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines have announced plans to combine, and United Airlines has been reported to be seeking a merger with US Airways.

Northwest Airlines Corp. said Wednesday that it will cut 2,500 jobs because of high oil prices, and will soon begin charging $15 to check luggage and up to $100 to redeem a frequent-flier award ticket. The airline said it expects the new fees to add $250 million to $300 million a year in revenue.

Boyd said Fresno isn't facing as many lost flights as some airports, particularly those dependent on tourism traffic slowed by a weakening economy.

According to airline schedules Boyd consulted, United Airlines is planning to cut its daily Fresno-to-Denver flights from five to four in November, and US Airways plans to cut its daily flights from Fresno to Phoenix from five to four in November.

Calderon said the airport had not been informed by United or US Airways about impending cuts and could not comment.