Charter airline Futura Gael bites the dust

The Irish arm of charter airline Futura International Airways has filed for bankruptcy protection in a Spanish court.

Futura Gael is the latest in a long line of airlines teetering on the brink of collapse, joining loss-making Alitalia which is also struggling to court financial backers.

Their predicament comes to a backdrop of several failures, including that of Zoom Airways, Silverjet, MAXJet and Eos.

Seventy of Futura Gael's 90 staff members have been temporarily laid off and all flights have been suspended indefinitely.

Airline executives are said to be hopeful that the carrier, which focuses on routes to the Mediterranean and eastern Europe, will secure new investment.

But having officially ceased operations at midnight on Monday (September 8), few pundits expect Futura to revive itself.

The airline has already distanced itself from any responsibility in flying home Irish holidaymakers who are currently abroad, urging its customers to contact their travel agent.

Futura was founded in 1989 by flag carrier Aer Lingus, which sold its majority stake in 2002.

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