AN AMERICAN premium airline operating out of Stansted Airport has filed for bankruptcy, cancelling all further flights and leaving passengers with an anxious wait for refunds.

AN AMERICAN premium airline operating out of Stansted Airport has filed for bankruptcy, cancelling all further flights and leaving passengers with an anxious wait for refunds.

Eos Airlines, which had flown up to four premium flights from the Essex airport to New York each day, filed for bankruptcy on Saturday.

The airline operated some flights from Stansted yesterday but they were the last and customers who have already purchased tickets will have to seek a refund from their credit card company.

Jack Williams, Eos' CEO, said: “After overcoming today's extremely challenging economic and credit environment to negotiate terms for a round of financing, it is regrettable that we were forced to take this action.

Eos was a popular award-winning airline with one of the strongest reputations in the business for service and punctuality. Which makes the news that the airline has ceased trading all the more disappointing.”

Commenting on the Eos Airlines collapse, Stansted released the following statement today: “That Eos has fallen victim to the current global economic situation is not blunting the huge efforts we are putting in at Stansted to attract other long-haul carriers; and make no mistake, there is a great deal of enthusiasm from a number of airlines to come here.

“In the tough market conditions of today, the high cost of launching,maintaining and growing long-haul services is a challenge for any enterprising airline business, but Stansted is perfectly equipped to support and serve long-haul carriers - as we have already proved.

“Growing our route network in this way is exactly what our business and leisure travellers want too, and we are out there working hard to secure the place of Stansted as the East of England's international airport of choice.

”Meanwhile, daily return services between Stansted and New York, operated by American Airlines the world's largest carrier, are soon to increase to twice daily - something we see as a big vote of confidence in Stansted.”