Hooters Air out of gas

Were the orange shorts too tight? Hooters Air, a carrier known more for its scantily-clad "Hooters Girls on every flight" and loud color scheme than the reach of its route map, has less than three weeks left in the air. USA Today is reporting that the airline will stop flying its regularly scheduled service on April 17. Instead, Hooters will operate charter flights for large groups such as sports teams.

The owl-themed airline has been financially unstable since December. Now, the Allentown Lehigh Valley International Airport is trying to recoup unpaid fuel bills to the tune of $1.1 million from the troubled carrier.

Hooters Air was founded about three years ago, and served the following airports: Allentown, Ft. Lauderdale, Myrtle Beach, Newark, St. Petersburg, and Wilkes-Barre.

Perhaps its loyal flyers will be saddened by the carrier's closure, but given the size of the airline's route map, my guess is that most of the flying public probably won't give a hoot.

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)