Waiting For A Big Announcement From ATA...

[Captain Blue Sky]

ATA was supposed to make a big announcement regarding future operations on the 14th of October, but the owner of the company received a call during a meeting with pilots. He left the room and did not return. Subsequently, the announcement never occured. As pumpkinboy had mentioned in another thread regarding ATA, America West and AirTran were interested in acquiring some of the company's assets. It is believed, however, that these assets will likely be the purchase of gates in Chicago Midway. By America West only, as AirTran could not match their offer. Not all the gates at Midway are being sold, only some of them. Indications in the company suggest that the major hub for ATA will be shifting from Chicago Midway to Indianapolis, where ATA has their World Headquarters. This is suggested because their is currently an effort to hire and train a huge number of full-time agents to service the Indianapolis station operation. So the buzz at present is that ATA will make a big announcement in the next few weeks about the sale of gates at Midway to America West and the movement of its hub to Indianapolis...

 

[SB in KY]

Hope that means expanded flight operations out of Indy....good news for those of us that fly from there.

 

[inkkognito]

Will our Midway to Orlando flights disappear?!

Barb

 

[Gary M]

DW and I go back to when ATA started as a travel club called Voyager, about 32 years ago. We presently belong to their travel club called Ambassadair. Sure hope they stay in business in Indy. IND is building a new $ 1 billion terminal and ATA is the #1 airline out of IND.

Captain Blue Sky please keep us ATA fans up to date. Thank you.

We have r/t reservations from IND to MCO Feb. 1-8.

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

Thanks for the info, Captain Blue Sky.

Like Barb, I can't help but wonder where this leaves those of us who already hold tickets for ATA flights out of Midway for 2004 and 2005.

Tink

 

[Captain Blue Sky]

Your air travel plans on ATA are absolutely fine!

Yes, IND is building a huge new terminal! And with ATA's World Headquarters in IND, you can rest assured knowing that the operation is in good hands and poised to grow. No one, not the owner, the board of directors, the pilots, the flight attendants, or the station people want ATA to go away. This non-partisan committment is impressive.

And if by chance that you are still doubting, how could ATA originate the first low-cost air travel to Europe, this coming summer, since the mid-1980s? If plans were to 'disappear?' Absolutely will not happen!

Everything will be fine, and you are all going to be in for some great things to happen to ATA.

The MDW to MCO runs are sound!! Very profitable and they will continue.

To answer Barb's question from awhile back: I fly a lot of West Coast and Caribbean routes. I have not worked an MCO run in over 18 months. But my family & I are planning a trip to MCO this summer and I might work the flight, then.