Only one year in service for Skybus Airlines and the U.S. carrier stopped activity as of April 5, becoming the fourth airline to make this decision this week alone, due to the economy downfall and higher fuel prices. The company based in Columbus, Ohio decided to make the decision over night, as its passengers complained of lack of notification.

On its official Web site, the company said: “Skybus struggled to overcome the combination of rising fuel costs and a slowing economic environment. These two issues proved to be insurmountable for a new carrier … Our financial condition is such that our Board of Directors felt it had no choice but to cease operations.”

Customers who had reservations for Skybus flights after April 5th were asked to contact their credit card companies and apply for a refund. “We deeply regret the impact the decision will have on our employees and their families, customers, vendors, suppliers, airport officials and others in the cities in which we have operated,” the company said.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Skybus started off in May last year with a $160 million capital and practiced extremely low prices (as low as $10), thus becoming the second busiest carrier from Columbus, after Southwest Airlines Co.

The fuel prices made the business struggle, which made the company make some changes in its flight routine and executives, but that wasn’t enough to keep things going as it seems. However, they were not the only ones to find it hard to survive in an economy that made other airlines go out of business.

Among other names, Aloha Airgroup Inc. suspended flights at the beginning of this week, ATA Airlines from Indianapolis also ended activity as of Thursday, and Champion Air announced it will stop all its flights as of May 31.