Fairfax Media revealed financial troubles within the Brisbane-based company earlier this month, after Dubbo Regional Council launched legal action to wind up the airline amid claims of unpaid passenger taxes.

On Friday morning, JetGo announced it had appointed administrators and that all its scheduled “regular passenger transport” services across the country had been “suspended for the duration of the administration period”.

JetGo had three passenger services scheduled at Wagga Airport on Friday – a 2.30pm flight from Brisbane, a 3pm return service to the Queensland capital and a flight from the Gold Coast that had been due to arrive at 10.50pm.

All of them were cancelled, with no JetGo arrivals or departures showing on the airport’s TV screens. Passengers were met with a closed sign at the check-in desk.

Anyone wanting to book flights from Wagga to Brisbane or the Gold Coast via JetGo’s website on Friday only got as far as an “error” page.

The cancellations came as JetGo’s managing director Paul Bredereck confirmed the company had gone into administration.

“The administrator is now assessing the viability and future operations of the business,” Mr Bredereck told Fairfax Media.

“During the period of administration the company has suspended regular public transport services.”

Mr Bredereck said the company hoped the suspension was a temporary measure. 

“JetGo will continue to operate some charter services during this period,” he said.

In a statement, the company said Qantas had set up a hotline – 1300 659 116 – for JetGo passengers “to assist with cancelled flights and other flight options”. 

“You may also consider contacting your credit card provider to consider your options with respect to a refund of your ticket purchase,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, Qantas has offered special fares to customers affected by the suspension of JetGo flights.

A Qantas spokesman said the fares were available for JetGo customers with an existing booking for travel between Friday and June 30. The special fares were “for flights on the equivalent Qantas route to assist customers get to or from their destination”, he said.

A Qantas ticket to get from Wagga to Brisbane, via Sydney, costs $313. A fare to travel Qantas from Wagga to the Gold Coast, also via Sydney, will set travellers back $243.

The fare are available for sale until June 15. JetGo customers will need to quote their JetGo booking reference to be eligible for the “disrupted passenger fares”, the spokesman said.

“Customers will also need to carry a copy of their JetGo Australia itinerary to present at check-in at the airport,” he said.

Earlier this week, Mr Bredereck told the Advertiser he was confident the airline could emerge from a turbulent period and continue providing its Wagga services.

– with Brendan Crabb