For those of you flying ATA

[skychica]

I read a few posts from concerned travelers regarding ATA... My husband is a captain for ATA and yes, the company is in financial peril however, they have not even furloughed yet.

I know from experience that ATA is very dedicated to it's customers and I can assure that no matter what, they would ensure their customers make it to their destination. The last few weeks have been tough for all employees and their families but the company as continued to stress that the safety and comfort of the passengers is the number 1 priority. In the newsletter from the chief pilot today he told the pilots if they couldn't come to work and concentrate solely on that, they needed to go home!

ATA provides direct service to a lot of places that would otherwise not be serviced so I hope all of you continue to fly ATA. I too, would like to be able to take my child to Disney this year providing my husband is not unemployeed!


GO EASY, GO ATA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!

 

[zeke11]

I would love to book some ATA flights for May, but worry about them going under and losing the money that we paid for tickets.

I suppose this is a possibility -- do you completely lose out the money paid? That would be a lot for us - six r/t tickets anywhere cost a small fortune.

Kris

 

[profdsny]

Well, I have faith. We just booked our flight down to WDW and the cruise on ATA today.

 

[skychica]

I ask dh the question about the airline tickets and here is what I found out. Anywhoo....usually other airlines will honor the tickets in an order to gain your business.

Best of luck and lets hope this never becomes an issue!!

 

[westjones]

I love ATA. We just flew them to our cruise last month, and we really hope they pull through this.

They offer the best prices for direct flights from Indianapolis to Orlando. I am pulling for you! We want ATA to come through this too!

DJ

 

[inkkognito]

Don't worry, Skychica...my husband and I will keep ATA afloat! We've flown 18 roundtrips already this year, and have six more booked, with more coming soon. Generally I am very pleased with ATA (nice planes, especially those cushy 753s), decent ontime record, and mostly friendly employees. However, I must say that I was extremely disappointed by the way we were treated on our last outbound flight (lost our seat assignment due to ATA's error and then were embarrassed by the gate agent and a flight attendant in front of our fellow passengers...and we're Elite members!). I hope the financial problems are not making the employees disgruntled! I have a letter in to Customer Service, so I am anxious to see what they say.
Maybe we will fly with your husband one day if we haven't already
Barb

 

[powellrj]

Originally posted by zeke11
I would love to book some ATA flights for May, but worry about them going under and losing the money that we paid for tickets.

I suppose this is a possibility -- do you completely lose out the money paid? That would be a lot for us - six r/t tickets anywhere cost a small fortune.

Kris

As long as you put them on a credit card, they will refund your money to your card. We had this happen several years ago with Baniff. They went out of business before our trip and we just filed a claim with our credit card and had our money back in just a few weeks.

We love ATA and hope that they are around for a long, long time. It is scary for us as travelers, I can only imagin how it is when you are working for a company that is on the news all the time with money problems. We are using them for our trip at the end of the month.

 

[HappyLawyer]

well in the newspaper in illinois a few weeks ago there was a big sign ata here to stay and they have made some changes but i called and was told they are not closing in illinois

 

[skychica]

Thank you for all of the encouragement. I am sorry you had a bad experience w/customer service. My husband and I did as well last week when we were flying standby. I am sure many employees are irritable because of the job situation but now is not the time to mistreat valued customers. Hopefully ATA will at least offer an apology!

And yes we love the 757-300's too. That is what dh flies!! I am so proud of him!

Thank you all for flying ATA and supporting our livelihood!

I also wanted to add that credit card companies do not actually pay the airlines until the flight has taken place for this very reason!

Thanks again for all of your support!

 

[danny1649]

We have used ATA last 7 years to go to Orlando for our Disney vacation in December.I can say nothing but good about them and I'm sure they will work out problems they're having.I've already got tickets for our trip this year.I will add this year they bent over backwards with a seating issue I had and resolved it in great way way for me.

 

[zeke11]

We flew ATA last June (2003) from Chicago to LA and back -- and loved ATA. Hoping they stick around. It is a pleasure to be able to fly out of Midway and I believe that the great Midway expansion was mostly for this airline!

Kris

 

[inkkognito]

How cool that your husband flies my favorite type of plane
I'm always disappointed when it's a 752 or 737 as I am spoiled by the 753s.
I am dealing with someone at Customer Service to ensure the same issue doesn't crop up this weekend, so I have my fingers crossed. She was very helpful, and I must say that we have dealt with many great people at ATA over the years. We have been flying ever since it switched over from a charter airline. I don't think many people realize that it does so many military charters, either. The flight attendants have shared some great stories about their flights to some very interesting destinations with the military!
I'll report in on the seating situation next week for the benefit of future ATA flyers. Hopefully it will all be resolved on its own when the business class retrofitting is done
Barb
P.S. Ask your husband if A4A and A4B are his favorite gates.

 

[skychica]

Oh, he loves those gates!!! At least he gets his exercise!

 

[travelbug]

Just booked tickets on ATA for our Feb. trip. Had no idea that ATA was struggling until I ran across this thread. On the other hand, many airlines are struggling and yet managing to stay in business. I hope things turn around for ATA and that there are no job losses.

Looking forward to flying with them for the first time.

 

[SB in KY]

Well if you want to book tickets on an airline that is NOT in fianancial straits these days, you would have to book on SW or, ummmm... SW, or gee, lets see, maybe SW...

in the last 3 months Delta, United, American, ATA, Frontier, US Air and Alaska Air have all made the news with rather dire fianancial situations of one sort or another. If you add in the contract carriers for those airlines and their discount lines (Chatauqua, TED, Song, United and Delta Express, Comair, etc)...there really isn't anything left.

I just figured we will book good fares as they come along, pay with a credit card and hope for the best

 

[travelbug]

Originally posted by skychica
I read a few posts from concerned travelers regarding ATA... My husband is a captain for ATA and yes, the company is in financial peril however, they have not even furloughed yet.

I'm probably the only one who doesn't know this, but what does it mean that "they have not even furloughed yet?"

 

[inkkognito]

That's what I figure...ATA's no worse off than anyone else, and they renewed their military contract and got concessions from the flight attendants, so that should help.
We have considered Southwest, but for the days/times we fly, it is almost impossible to get a good fare. ATA is consistently cheaper for us, not to mention the assigned seats vs. cattle call. I know many people don't mind it, but we don't have children and I've seen many Orlando SW flights where literally half the plane is pre-boarded by families with kids. I like knowing my seat in advance (although lately that's been up for grabs, even on ATA).
If you wonder whether I put my money where my mouth is, hubby just booked two more today so I think we have tickets for around 8 flights on ATA up till the end of the year.
Barb

 

[disneyfanz04]

is ATA the same as Air Tran Airways?????? Please someone answer ASAP I really have to get my tickets. Thanks!!!

 

[inkkognito]

No, two totally different airlines. ATA is American Trans Air.
Barb

 

[disneyfanz04]

Originally posted by inkkognito
No, two totally different airlines. ATA is American Trans Air.
Barb

I'll try their prices...thanks for the reply!!!