anyone else unsure about booking on ATA?

[dznyacct]

We almost always fly ATA from Indy to Orlando (good prices and good flight times). My son and I are headed to WDW over Easter and I'm anxious to book our flights soon. ATA has the best price on non-stop flights right now, but I've been hearing some bad things about their financial problems. I even called them today and asked what would happen if I booked a flight and then they went under. The lady just laughed and said "Oh, I'm sure that won't happen!" I just don't want to get stuck scrambling for $$$ plane tickets at the last minute. What does anyone else think?

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

Well, here is how it is for us -- we have flights booked with ATA for Nov 2004 and March 2005. I booked before the news came out concerning their financial troubles. I think many people here are keeping up the faith that we will be fine booking with ATA, but personally, I am sorry I booked flights for March 2005, especially at the cost of a little over $1,000 for two rt tix.

I thought I was doing so well planning ahead and being organized and now I am worried that I will be scrambling at the last minute during Easter week. I am also worried I will somehow lose the $1,000 I spent on airfare for March.

Hopefully others will post their opinions for you, but if I had it to do over again, I wouldn't book with them for next year, especially during a holiday week. I would give anything if I could just get a refund at this point and book with another airline.

Here is a previous thread on the subject of ATA's troubles: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=631423&perpage=15&pagenumber=1

Good luck!
Tink

 

[dznyacct]

Thanks for your opinion. I was getting REALLY antsy and then I saw a DIS post that NWA had just lowered their prices. I went to their website and found non-stop flights within one hour of ATA's times for $35 less (each ticket)!!! I jumped on those two tickets, FAST!! So, instead of paying $226/ticket (and crossing my fingers that I have a flight), I'm now paying $191/ticket and feeling much more comfortable. We're leaving Wednesday 3/23/05 (my "poor" son will have to miss two days of school!) and coming home Friday 4/1/05, so I thought $191 was a very good price, especially since I had budgeted $250/ticket! The savings more than pays for the extra day that I added on to the beginning of the trip. Now that I've booked the flight, I can sleep much easier tonight.

 

[powellrj]

I am not as concerned about losing my money, ( we had tickets on Banniff when they shut-down) and were able to get all of our money back from our charge card. I am worried about getting stranded at an airport! We leave on Monday and come back on Friday so I think we are pretty safe at this point, but its a worry.

 

[Captain Blue Sky]

I can say with assurance that ATA will be around for a long, long time.

The company has been in existence for 32 years now, and the owner, who built the company, has no intention of having it go away.

If I were you, I would be much more concerned about Independence Air, Delta, and of course USAirways.

These 3 airline companies have a much greater likelihood of 'disappering' than ATA could ever have!

In fact, USAirways will likely cease to be a brand name in May, 2005.

Just the other day, ATA signed a $250Mil contract with the Department of Defense to transport troops in 2005. No one else can command such a contract. Only an airline as strong as ATA can!

And after all, I should know. I fly for ATA...

 

[CarolA]

none of the airlines are assured of a future right now (that includes ATA) The two "healthy" ones from a financial analysis are SW and JetBlue but continuing fuel price increases could impact them too.

The one I think is in the most danger is USAirways. Two Chap 11s in such a short time are not a good sign. Everyone else still has their first Chap 11 to hide in.

 

[inkkognito]

Captain Blue Sky,
Do you ever do the MDW to MCO route? Maybe we will fly with you someday. We're flying it at least twice a month now, and we've actually started to recognize some of the flight attendants. I never thought that was possible with as much as they are rotated.
I think we're going to take the plunge and start buying our ATA tickets for next Jan. and Feb. Fingers crossed...I love ATA, despite a few seating issues, and would hate to see it go away.
Barb

 

[pumpkinboy]

I think Cap'n Blue Sky has covered it: ATA is not likely to simply cease operations. If they do go into bankruptcy, it would be chapter 11 reorganization, not chapter 7 liquidation, as there is no "going concern" issue here. Furthermore, a number of other discount airlines would be interested in adding ATA's assets to their portfolios, including America West and AirTran. The only people losing money here are gonna be shareholders first, and maybe bondholders and leaseholders; ticket holders should be fine.

Good luck all!

 

[danny1649]

Have RT tickets for our December trip and not worried.Got them 7 months ago and only thing when you buy that far out flight times get changed but ATA has kept me informed and have kept same seats during the changes.A good company that I think will be fine and around for a long time.Hey remember Walt Disney had some money problems to and look at the company now.

 

[HappyLawyer]

i have booked and i am fully confident in ata

 

[Dodie]

Let's face it - what airline HASN'T declared bankruptcy? They do still fly...

I will continue to support our hometown airline - ATA.

 

[inkkognito]

My fear with ATA is not bankruptcy but rather what the owner will do to avoid it. I think if they entered bankruptcy protection, they would be able to put together a viable reorganization plan. But he doesn't want to lose control, so I think he would sooner pull out of Midway and sell the company piecemeal. We have 8 roundtrips for the remainder of 2004 booked but haven't done any for 2005 yet. The fares haven't been all that good, but if they get down there, we might go for it.
Barb

 

[cdrn1]

I ALWAYS fly ATA from Indy to Orlando. Next trip is in December and I have no qualms. The flight times have been changed but I'm okay with that...I want them viable. The service is outstanding and I have NEVER had a flight leave late with ATA. The one time I went with a different airline because they had a lower price, my nonstop was cancelled and I had to fly a connecting flight out of BALTIMORE!!! I spent the whole day in airports!!!

 

[HappyLawyer]

Originally posted by cdrn1
I ALWAYS fly ATA from Indy to Orlando. Next trip is in December and I have no qualms. The flight times have been changed but I'm okay with that...I want them viable. The service is outstanding and I have NEVER had a flight leave late with ATA. The one time I went with a different airline because they had a lower price, my nonstop was cancelled and I had to fly a connecting flight out of BALTIMORE!!! I spent the whole day in airports!!!

when do you leave we leave on the 10th

 

[crzykid]

Just heard on the local news ATA is scheduled to file for ch 11 today. I guess we will wait and see. I have a credit for them for 200.00 hoping they are still around(meaning midway operations) so i can use for the next time i fly again next summer.

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

Originally posted by crzykid
Just heard on the local news ATA is scheduled to file for ch 11 today.

Boy, dznyacct, I bet you are breathing a huge sigh of relief that you decided against purchasing airfare thru ATA.

Have a fun trip!

Tink

 

[dznyacct]

tinkerbellmagic~ I bet you could hear my sigh all the way from here in Indiana over to you in Illinois!! I really have enjoyed flying with ATA, but I just had a bad feeling. Even if another airline could get us to Orlando and back, I just didn't want to worry about it. Today I got good news... the last of my son's teachers approved his extra 2 days of excused absence at the start of our trip! He's a freshman in a private Catholic High School here and a straight A student, so I don't think his teachers are too worried about him missing a few days.