Augusta Regional Airport and civic leaders have worked for months and raised more than $600,000 in travel pledges as part of a campaign to attract the airline's subsidiary Continental Express with the possibility of direct flights between Augusta and Newark, N.J.

Jeff Awalt, a Continental spokesman, said the company is scaling down its existing operations and has stopped service in 10 cities - five of those on Continental Express routes.

''Within a day or so of that, trying to predict adding cities is just a really difficult thing to do,'' he said. ''But we're looking at that on a case-by-case basis, and those cases are being reviewed on a week-by-week basis as we determine just what is happening in the market and how we'll proceed.

''The entire industry is trying to figure what the new market really is in terms of passenger demand.''

Last weekend, Continental laid off 12,000 workers and announced it would cut its schedule by 20 percent. Four other major carriers - American, Delta, Northwest and United - also have cut their schedules by 20 percent.

Augusta Regional officials released a statement Tuesday saying that the timeline for the airport's air service development plans has changed.

''Augusta as a community did everything right in wooing Continental Airlines,'' Augusta Aviation Commission Chairwoman Marcie Wilhelmi said in the statement. ''Continental Airlines was in the final stages of making a business decision, now they have a new business environment to consider.''

She said the board was encouraging people who contributed to the Continental Challenge travel bank, which is currently earning 4 percent interest, to keep their money in the fund until the industry normalizes and Continental reconsiders new markets.

''However, we do understand if they feel a need to withdraw their funds,'' Ms. Wilhelmi said. ''Just know we'll be asking again when the situation changes.''

The funds were intended to pay for tickets on the new service if it started at Augusta Regional, and officials used the $600,000 as an indication of the community's support for the flights.

Those who deposited travel pledges and do not want to keep their money in the account can withdraw it from First Bank of Georgia.

The Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce, which pledged $1,000, will keep its money in the fund for now, chamber President Jim West said.

''We're playing this by ear until we hear something official from Continental,'' Mr. West said.

Dean Hill, the vice president of the consulting company CampbellHill Aviation Group, said he expects stability to return to the aviation industry, but at what level he was not certain.

''I think the airlines are not even in the position to think about (expanding service),'' he said. ''They're trying just to survive right now.''

Reach Vicky Eckenrode at (706) 823-3227 or vicky.eckenrode@augustachronicle.com.