Rockford-based airline lays off 200

ROCKFORD (AP) — Rockford-based Ryan International Airlines has announced it will lay off about 200 pilots, flight attendants and other workers.

The Rockford Register Star reports Thursday ( http://bit.ly/y1vhDa ) that the airline will make the cuts at four U.S. bases and said the reduction reflects less business coming from the U.S. Department of Defense. Much of the company's business has come from moving troops around the world. Ryan executive vice president Mark Robinson says there is "just less military flying." Robinson says the airline will restructure over the next six months to add more charter flights.

The airline employs 585 people. Those affected by the layoffs are based in Arizona, Florida, Louisiana and Rockford.

A spokeswoman for the Airline Pilots Association says the union was notified of the layoffs on Wednesday.