Two weeks left for Big Sky Airlines. Airline, parent company reject buyout offer by employees

Big Sky Airlines, which has flown the Montana skies for three decades, will fly its last routes the morning of March 8, park the last Beechcraft 1900s in Billings, and then end operations.

In a letter to employees late Thursday, Big Sky President Fred deLeeuw reaffirmed a deadline announced last month that most of the remaining 140 employees have just 16 days left on the job.

“It’s a sad day for all of us, but the harsh economics of the global and national economies, the staggering fuel costs and the inefficiency of flying just four airplanes couldn’t be overcome,” deLeeuw said.

By JAN FALSTAD – Billings Gazette

Full Story: http://helenair.com/articles/2008/02/22/state/102st_080222_bigsky.txt

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Airline, parent company reject buyout offer by employees

By JAN FALSTAD
Of The Gazette Staff

Big Sky Airlines, which has flown the Montana skies for three decades, will fly its last routes the morning of March 8, park the last Beechcraft 1900s in Billings, then end operations.

In a letter to employees late Thursday, Big Sky President Fred deLeeuw reaffirmed a deadline announced last month that most of the remaining 140 employees have just 16 days left on the job.

Full Story: http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/02/22/news/state/18-bigsky_x.txt