A new airline that offered service from Spokane to Reno is already grounded

Idaho and Spokane travelers planning fall trips or ski vacations to and from the Reno-Tahoe area will have to find another option.

Aha! airlines, based out of the Reno-Tahoe International Airport on the Nevada-California border, announced Tuesday that it had ceased all operations and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The airline began service from Spokane to Reno last Dec. 15. At the time, Spokane became the ninth western U.S. city to be served by aha!

The new low-cost airline, not yet a year old, was scheduled to launch nonstop flights at the Boise Airport starting Aug. 31.

“We regret that a combination of market and economic conditions lead us to take this action,” aha! announced on its website and social media pages Tuesday morning.

“Unfortunately, we are unable to assist with alternative travel arrangements. We apologize for the inconvenience.”

Aha! encouraged customers who booked flights with the airline, an offshoot of Georgia-based ExpressJet Airlines, to seek ticket refunds through their credit card companies.

Aha!’s planned launch at the end of the month in Boise would have marked the arrival of the third low-cost airline to join the lineup at the Boise Airport this year.

Southern California-based Avelo Airlines started service through Boise in May, and South Florida-based Spirit Airlines had its first flight earlier this month.

Instead, the Boise Airport will for the time being maintain eight commercial air carriers – rather than adding its ninth with aha! – and 26 nonstop destinations, with the loss of a nonstop flight to Reno-Tahoe.