ATA files for Ch. 11

[TimD]

Press release here - http://www.ata.com/about_ata/news/20080403.pdf

ATA AIRLINES FILES FOR CHAPTER 11 AND DISCONTINUES OPERATIONS
FOLLOWING CANCELLATION OF KEY MILITARY CHARTER AGREEMENT
INDIANAPOLIS, April 3, 2008 – ATA Airlines, Inc. today announced that it has filed a
voluntary petition under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The petition was filed
on April 2 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana, in the
Indianapolis division. Subsequent to the Chapter 11 filing, ATA discontinued all
operations, effective as of 4 am ET on April 3. A primary factor leading to these actions
was the unexpected cancellation of a key contract for ATA’s military charter business,
which made it impossible for ATA to obtain additional capital to sustain its operations or
restructure the business.

A sad day for ATA.

[PhilDernerJr]

I saw this coming, and as a big ATA fan, this is very sad to me. ATA was my favorite airline since the beginning of my aviation enthusiasm, and when my current airline became their sister company, I developed an added sense of pride in the GAL trifecta.

My condolences and support to all of my friends at ATA.

[T-Bird76]

ATA was doomed since the last time they went Chap 11. When WN came in to save them it was purely a selfish move on WN's part to keep AirTran who also filed a bid to take over ATA and keep the MDW and IND operations at full capcity. Ashame to see more people lose their jobs and another airline go by the way side along with the only U.S flagged L1011s.

[crj200dispatcher]

I am sitting here in IND, with tears in my eyes, goodbye ATA, you will be missed and thanks for the many days of spotting pleasure in IND

You will be missed

[cancidas]

just heard this while driving home from LGA... so sad. :cry:

[Delta777LR]

Very sad to see ATA go.. I had a crazy feeling the the airline wasnt going to last very long.. It hasnt been making great money in a long time Pretty much that was why they have been pulling out of airports like LGA and Reagon Airports for example.. They used to have a big fleet of 737-800s which I think it was tweenty something replacing its aging 727s, and decresed it to 12 737-800s.. Same went for the 757s as well.. In my opinion I think the mistake was getting the DC-10s to replace the L-1011s due to fuel prices as well..

Well here are my memory shots of ATA at LGA and JFK

[MarkLawrence]

I never managed to get a shot of an ATA aircraft .. but .. sad to see any airline close down - it always hits employees first and the public that will be shouting about their tickets they can't use... never a fun time at all.

[flyboy 28]

Shame. I see it's mostly because of the loss of the contract with the military charter flights. Who's taking over that spot? Omni? World?

[Matt Molnar]

If you're keeping score at home...

ATA's 20 Largest Creditors (in alphabetical order)

AIR DISPATCH LTD Representation & handling in Middle East $309,768.10
BOEING COMMERCIAL AIRPLANE GRP Maintenance $315,566.20
CERTIFIED AVIATION SERVICES INC. Line Maintenance $263,522.06
CITY OF CHICAGO, DEPT. OF AVIATION Loan Agreement $7,097,500.00
DALLAS/FORT WORTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Airport Rents & Landings $183,705.31
DFAS-CO/FPS/F Fuel $2,496,657.88
EFG INFLIGHT Catering Foreign $185,322.73
EUROCONTROL Navigational Fees $634,611.76
FEDERAL EXPRESS CORP. Freight $412,316.50
GATE GOURMET Catering Foreign & Domestic $281,169.31
GOODRICH LIGHTING SYSTEMS Maintenance $243,634.01
LUFTHANSA TECHNIK Maintenance $543,783.68
PORT OF OAKLAND Airport Rents & Landings $267,123.41
PRECISION RESPONSE CORPORATION Reservations $352,550.10
ROCKWELL COLLINS INC Audiovisual License & Maintenance $418,947.94
SERVISAIR USA Handling in various scheduled service $327,618.09
STATE OF HAWAII Airport Rents & Landings $477,947.94
TIMCO AVIATION Maintenance $209,738.20
WORLD FUEL SERVICES Fuel $175,249.14
WORLDWIDE FLIGHT SVCS Handling n HNL $373,505.51

[crj200dispatcher]

last 2 ATA aircraft in the air

DC-10 from ETAR to DFW and 737-800 PHNL-KDHN

Drove by their corporate office on my way to work,a nd sad to see police barricading the entrance to the parking lot, could not bear to take a photo.

It was a great airline, with a great background, sad to see someone who has been associated with the airline for the past 35 years on the news today, crying over the closure here in IND.

God Speed all ATA employees

[DHG750R]

Not a good week for airline employees , AQ and now TZ ... My heart goes out to them

[PhilDernerJr]

I have so many memories of ATA, from my first Anet photo, my favorite planes, seeing L-1011s, I can go on forever.

Nothing to do with my job, but I saw this coming. ATA lost several charters lately (Hillary, Obama, Air Jamaica, etc.) over the past few weeks, and it was obvious to anyone paying attention that something was up.

I will miss them dearly. My favorite airline is gone. Now, my 2nd favorite, the one I work for, takes the top spot.

[crj200dispatcher]

I keep hoping to see one last ATA aircraft enroute to IND, but I am afraid it is all over, the DC-10 on short final to DFW, and the 737-800 is estimated to Dothan at midnight EST.

[Eddie.]

Sad indeed. I have early memories of ATA 737-800's when they used to fly into MIA. They had a 10:30AM flight which flew over my middle school. I remember being in P.E. in the 6th grade and having it fly over everyday. Like clock work.

It was a great airline, and will be missed. Hopefully someone can pick up the slack.

[Lezam]

Im gonna miss those ata flights over shea during the summer