ATA discontinues all operations
- Thread starter Seggy
- Start date
HeyEng
Well-Known Member
Just another fine example of how accurate the media is.
I went to a dinner with my SO about a month ago and the CEO of Coldwell Banker was the keynote speaker. He ranted and raved about how full of crap the media is in regards to the housing market.
I love the story CBS ran a couple months ago about a nurse who made about 60K a year and bought a house in Florida to flip. It cost about 300K and OF COURSE she got a ARM that has adjusted and she wants the government to help her because she can't afford it!!! Well no crap, Sherlock!!!! So many idiots!!!
OK, not hijacking this thread, so back on topic...
Sucks for ATA...lots of former AF FEs went there and now are out of luck.
surreal1221
Well-Known Member
All I have to say about the ATA issue is this.
The ATA pilots better get jobs at North American or World before any new hire does.
Just in case anyone forgot, those three airlines are owned and managed by the same hedge fund organization.
The ATA pilots better get jobs at North American or World before any new hire does.
Just in case anyone forgot, those three airlines are owned and managed by the same hedge fund organization.
doug_or
Well-Known Member
I don't think Jet A costs more in Europe (if someone actually knows, please chime in). Fuel for private transport (diesel, mogas, and avgas) are all heavily taxed, but my understanding is that the airlines don't pay much more than the do here.
European carriers are mostly on better footing due to:
Having a higher percentage of long haul international flights
Having a lower percentage of regional flights (with gas guzzling RJs)
Not being knocked (as hard) on their tookus by 9/11
That being said, in the last few years the European charter market has been shaken considerably (thanks to Ryan Air et al.), Sabena and Swissair have gone the way of the Dodo, KLM/AF have merged, many national carriers have cut back short haul flying as the LoCos expand, and both Olympic and Alitalia are in serious financial trouble. I think there have a been a few more recent Euro airlines that have gone tits up (Deutsch BA, Germania and GB Airways, maybe), but we don't hear about that stuff in the states unless we stalk the airliners.net forums.
Maximilian_Jenius
Super User
[yt]xsRWpK4pf90[/yt]
Maximilian_Jenius
Super User
Hearing this news hit me especailly hard today.
My best friend, who is like a brother to me. His partner/husband was a flight attendant for ATA, had been employed with them for 20+ years and had a seniority number in the 400's, and was making high six figures.
Obviously he got canned today much like his other fellow ATA employees, and during a recession of all things...
Hopely Brad will be able to find a job pretty quick, but what sucks is that again we're in a recession, and lots of F/A's are in the job market.
ATA had a Phoenix base, so it was erie driving home from work through the airport and seeing 10 B-757's parked silently in remote parking, their fates unknown.
Sucks man...
HeyEng
Well-Known Member
Hearing this news hit me especailly hard today.
My best friend, who is like a brother to me. His partner/husband was a flight attendant for ATA, had been employed with them for 20+ years and had a seniority number in the 400's, and was making high six figures.
Obviously he got canned today much like his other fellow ATA employees, and during a recession of all things...
Hopely Brad will be able to find a job pretty quick, but what sucks is that again we're in a recession, and lots of F/A's are in the job market.
ATA had a Phoenix base, so it was erie driving home from work through the airport and seeing 10 B-757's parked silently in remote parking, their fates unknown.
Sucks man...
I remember when Eastern folded in '89 that some of their buildings sat empty in Atlanta for a few years. It was always very bothersome to see the buildings with all the furnishings/paperwork/etc. with all the Eastern livery still there and no one minding the store.
BobDDuck
Island Bus Driver
A.net moment...
There is going to be a bloodbath over those 757s. I think 6 are -200s and 4 are -300s. CAL has stated they want more -300s, so that's a good home for the four. However, the -200s could be going a few places. FedEx has been after every spare 757-200 out there for a while now, so that's possible. US needs more aircraft, but with the management in the sandcastle they'll probably not bother picking up a plane that would actually work in the system and instead try to find more 321s that can't make a transcon with out stopping. UAL is shrinking narrow bodies, they probably are out, and the ATA birds have RR engines so NWA probably wouldn't be interested. I dunno about AA and their 757s. So it comes down to FedEx taking them or US making a smart choice and trying to pick them up.
Maximilian_Jenius
Super User
Yea, totally I figured it'd be a fight for the 757's.
I *think* all the 200's are ER's as they only flew PHX-HNL, anyways can those RR 757's be re-engined for the giant Pratts if say DL or NWA wanted em?
Or is it impossible to re-engine a plane (save the 787) or just not economically cost prohibative?
A fellow a.net nerd wants to know!
Itchy
Well-Known Member
Hearing this news hit me especailly hard today.
My best friend, who is like a brother to me. His partner/husband was a flight attendant for ATA, had been employed with them for 20+ years and had a seniority number in the 400's, and was making high six figures.
Obviously he got canned today much like his other fellow ATA employees, and during a recession of all things...
Hopely Brad will be able to find a job pretty quick, but what sucks is that again we're in a recession, and lots of F/A's are in the job market.
ATA had a Phoenix base, so it was erie driving home from work through the airport and seeing 10 B-757's parked silently in remote parking, their fates unknown.
Sucks man...
A fa making WELL over 100K/year????
Really?
tonyw
Well-Known Member
You know, you'd think people would have learned a lesson from the dot com bubble bursting so recently, but they didn't.
I'll bet you the same dumb sons of bitches who bought pets.com stock thinking that the business model of offering free shipping on a high weight, low margin product like cat litter or pet food was a good one were the ones who tried to flip houses.
Like they say, a fool and his money are soon parted!
What sucks with ATA is that the front line employees are the ones who had very little to do with the implosion of the company, yet they're the ones who are going to get shafted the hardest.
The execs probably have bankruptcy proof pensions and they probably had all sorts of big signing bonuses when they came on board. So they'll be fine, even though their decisions destroyed the company.
JDMcFly
New Member
Except everyone else pays for their mistakes.
.I'm glad financial conservation is rewarded with tax money to those who spend without thought or care.
OldTownPilot
Well-Known Member
From what I know, its wicked expensive to change engines. Like MAJOR internal control system changes in the flight deck.
I'd almost guarantee the -300s are going to be at CAL very soon. They already have 8 or so ex ATA -300's.
CAL could use the -200s, along with many other airlines out there, US definately, but as Ethan said, there are a lot of other issues going on over there. AA maybe? United was shrinking their classic 737 fleet, not the 757s. So that is a chance. Fed-ex would be another likely choice. Good chance they will go overseas too.
The ex NWA DC-10s might be picked up as freighters for Fed-ex, or maybe sent to the desert.
tonyw
Well-Known Member
Except everyone else pays for their mistakes.
I'm glad financial conservation is rewarded with tax money to those who spend without thought or care.
Yeah, when the stocks people "invested" in during the dot com bubble went poof, they got to use those losses to offset any capital gains they had.
I just hope we only give mortgage relief to those who live in the houses they bought. If they "invested" in them, the hell with them. Eat the loss. And if you can't pay the loss, then you shouldn't have been playing that game anyway.
They did a pretty good job of doing it from the start of aviation until it was deregulated by Carter!
Maximilian_Jenius
Super User
A fa making WELL over 100K/year????
Really?
Yea, sorry I f-ed up the caught it over on GVA too. He was making high 5 figures!
That's what ya get when ya post after working 10 hrs.
Minuteman
I HAVE STRONG OPINIONS ABOUT AUTOMOTIVE LIGHTING!
Allow me to continue that...
My understanding is that the 737s and 757s were leased.
It'd be neat if SWA bought the TZ operating certificate and made that announcement about the time their fuel prices start to significantly catch up with everyone else.
Start flying internationally, play around with larger aircraft. That would make for interesting contract negotiations.
</airliner geek>
Aero_Engineer
Well-Known Member
Another one took the hit.
From the looks of it I won't be surprised if Frontier goes next. Not to be mean but I sure hope Skybus is next.
From the looks of it I won't be surprised if Frontier goes next. Not to be mean but I sure hope Skybus is next.
FlyChicaga
Vintage Restoration
I am really disappointed to see ATA close their doors. I started my airline career with ATA working for ramp operations in MDW, loading B727s and B757s. Later I came back to the ATA operation as a pilot for ATA Connection. I knew a lot of people over there at one time or another. This is really a shame to see them close their doors for good.
This is the second airline that I've worked for that has closed its doors. It's not going to be the same at MDW without them around.
Today in LAS there were two SWA ticket agents manning the former ATA counter. The airport-provided ATA sign was still up at the counter, but all markings from ATA were removed. I didn't see anything at MDW yet. I'll check the day after tomorrow. Luckily I grabbed a picture of the old "ATA Connection" sign in baggage claim a couple weeks ago.
Amazing... Just to close shop with no notice whatsoever. Honestly, after seeing how beat-up some of the ATA pilots looked these days, I don't know whether they are upset or relieved.
This is the second airline that I've worked for that has closed its doors. It's not going to be the same at MDW without them around.
Today in LAS there were two SWA ticket agents manning the former ATA counter. The airport-provided ATA sign was still up at the counter, but all markings from ATA were removed. I didn't see anything at MDW yet. I'll check the day after tomorrow. Luckily I grabbed a picture of the old "ATA Connection" sign in baggage claim a couple weeks ago.
Amazing... Just to close shop with no notice whatsoever. Honestly, after seeing how beat-up some of the ATA pilots looked these days, I don't know whether they are upset or relieved.