AirTran Agreement with ATA

[BLUE BAYOU]

AirTran Airways Announces Definitive Agreement with ATA Airlines



ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AirTran Airways, asubsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI), announced today that theairline has entered into a definitive agreement with ATA Holdings Corp.(OTC Bulletin Board: ATAH.PK) to assume the operation of 14 gates at Chicago'sMidway Airport. The agreement also provides that AirTran Airways and ATA willenter into a code share and marketing agreement covering operations fromMidway as well as other points on each airline's network. The parties expectthe closing will occur on or before December 23, 2004. ATA Holdings and itssubsidiary, ATA Airlines, are currently operating as debtors-in-possession inChapter 11 cases pending in Indianapolis. The purchase price is $89,955,000, subject to adjustment. The purchaseprice will be paid in installments. ATA has agreed to maintain its currentflight service levels at Midway Airport until January 11, 2005, and, subjectto certain contingencies, to make available to AirTran Airways up to twelve ofATA's 737-800 aircraft on a "wet lease" basis for varying periods of timethrough approximately June 4, 2005. In addition, AirTran Airways will assume responsibility for certainpassenger tickets previously sold by ATA for air travel to or from MidwayAirport. The closing is subject to a number of conditions, including approvals bythe Bankruptcy Court and the City of Chicago. The agreement provides for thepayment to AirTran Airways of a termination fee if it is terminated undercertain circumstances, including, among others, the transfer of one or more ofthe assets and leases related to ATA's Midway operations to a third party orthe sale or merger of ATA with a third party.Hope this works out for you guys!!! Lots of good folks over at ATA.

 

[ATA73Pilot]

This is what it must be like that first day in prison. There you are shuffling along in fear, wondering just what the hell happened to get you here, carrying you're few belongings to your new home - while three guys in the yard (AWA, AAI, SWA) are sizing you up for possible "boyfriend" status that night.

Either way you cut it - most of the pilots here are in for a lousy night.

AWA - Looking for a new regular peice of a@#.

Most pilots here are pinning their hopes on an AWA-ATA deal. But they have already made it clear that a "slotted - DOH" seniority integration is not in our future (so much for that kum-by-ya, hand-holding, ALPA Brotherhood crap). Thus a significant shift downward in QOL issues - but hey, it's better than unemployment right?

AAI - They just want to play with us for a bit until they've got their fill.

SWA - They just want our cigaretts and porn stash.

What a business...

 

[Music]

This is what it must be like that first day in prison. There you are shuffling along in fear, wondering just what the hell happened to get you here, carrying you're few belongings to your new home - while three guys in the yard (AWA, AAI, SWA) are sizing you up for possible "boyfriend" status that night.

Either way you cut it - most of the pilots here are in for a lousy night.

AWA - Looking for a new regular peice of a@#.

Most pilots here are pinning their hopes on an AWA-ATA deal. But they have already made it clear that a "slotted - DOH" seniority integration is not in our future (so much for that kum-by-ya, hand-holding, ALPA Brotherhood crap). Thus a significant shift downward in QOL issues - but hey, it's better than unemployment right?

AAI - They just want to play with us for a bit until they've got their fill.

SWA - They just want our cigaretts and porn stash.

What a business...

Hilarious!

 

[Boeingman]

(so much for that kum-by-ya, hand-holding, ALPA Brotherhood crap).

Yep. All it serves is to keep the troops in line and not make to much noise.

There are 2 distinct groups within ALPA. Those that have been burned. Those that will eventually get burned.

 

[Neubyfly]

ALPA will sell your semi-virgin A$$ to bubba the fry-cook for a pack of generic smokes.

 

[chase]

Don't count SWA out of the fight

This document was filed several days ago on behalf of Southwest to bid on the assets of ATA. The premise is that the shareholders would receive a greater benefit from an "open" auction of the assets of ATA vs. what is being discussed in the papers as a done deal. Don't know how it will work out but once again the judges will have more to do with their future than any airline executive.

http://docs.bmccorp.net/ATA/docs/insb_1-04-bk-19866_353.pdf

 

[Ty Webb]

This is what it must be like that first day in prison. There you are shuffling along in fear, wondering just what the hell happened to get you here, carrying you're few belongings to your new home - while three guys in the yard (AWA, AAI, SWA) are sizing you up for possible "boyfriend" status that night.

.

It'd be a lot funnier if it weren't your careers at stake. Sounds like the best option for the employees would be an AWA deal . . . Too bad ALPA is such a joke. What this industry needs is ONE list. Whoever heard of a guy with 20 years of experience automatically starting over at the bottom? Must've been some greedy sonsab!tches that started this industry . . . not that it has changed any

 

[ultrarunner]

Whoever heard of a guy with 20 years of experience automatically starting over at the bottom?

It's called real-life. And finally someone is starting to realize that "airline" pilots are not immune.

As I have said before, you take your best shot with the airline you choose. But to imply that an airline pilot/employee has some "entitlement" a some other employer...that's BS.

 

[sgu]

Moron

That statement is offensive. On 9/11 "airline" pilots were not immune to "real life".
"real life" has been a reality to airline pilots for a long time. I suggest u check your attitude before u start typing.

 

[Publishers]

When you fall in love with the senioity based system, this is exactly what you get. If you want what you consider to be the good points, heh, you have to live with the negatives.

There will never be a one list deal and I never use never lightly. Any chance for that ended with deregulation.

 

[Ty Webb]

It's called real-life. And finally someone is starting to realize that "airline" pilots are not immune.

Spare me the "life lesson", speech, sporto.. I was successful in the business world before I started flying professionally, and I would be fine inside or outside of aviation.

 

[ultrarunner]

Me too, and that's the point I was trying to make. I get darn sick of all this talk of freaking 'I'm etitled to this because I'm a 20 year vet at an airline that just went out of business".

Place your bets and move on. Real Life is you get hosed. It 'ain't fun, usually 'aint fair, but in NO WAY is anyone entitled to anything.

Starting back at the bottom might be better than not starting back at all.

Get over it.

 

[HalinTexas]

So, all you smart guys, you think all the K-Mart people are going to get stapled to the bottom of Sears' list? Preferential interviews? Or just let go?

Put the answers in context to the airline industry.

 

[TZFO]

Great point, but actually Kmart is aquiring Sears.
Kmart better keep Craftsman.

 

[Tristar]

It's called real-life. And finally someone is starting to realize that "airline" pilots are not immune.

As I have said before, you take your best shot with the airline you choose. But to imply that an airline pilot/employee has some "entitlement" a some other employer...that's BS.

Acually, in concept it would be what a union is about. In most other professions when you leave one company to move to another, you recieve credit for previous experience elsewhere. In the airlines, you don't.

Even a union sheet metal worker gets recognition for years served when he moves from one job to another.

It's a crappy system - simple as that. The solution (as I have said for years), would be for ALPO to get off of their collective dead a$$es, and come up with a plan for a national list as Ty has previously alluded to. It won't happen in time to help me, but it could have if they had looked out for the collective good of the profession (as they should have) back when Continental, Eastern, Pan Am, ect. were sinking. History is poised to repeat itself, and the fact the too many pilots are greedy pigs just enables the cycle to keep repeating.

 

[canyonblue]

In most other professions when you leave one company to move to another, you recieve credit for previous experience elsewhere.

Yea, but name one that has Unions, and Professional Athletes and Movie Stars don't count.

 

[Ty Webb]

Something more fitting would be a comparison with the Bar Association, the AMA, etc. An organization that sets minimum standards and pay rates. The individual company can always pay more, or provide better bennies, or more attractive domiciles, whatever extra they want to do, but they can do no less than what the PPA (Professional Pilot Association) sets as the minimum . . . . .

 

[Publishers]

What comparison with the AMA or Bar Association???They do not set any rates.

 

[Ty Webb]

No, but they control the supply of doctors and lawyers, both directly and indirectly, and therefore have control over pricing.

As recently as the 1800's, doctors were basically fancy barbers, and lawyers were clerks . . . . engineers were "draftsmen".

 

[Publishers]

Ty, how did you come up with that idea?

A National Pilot List, be it an association, be it a guild, etc, only will work if there is a closed loop industry. That is why I said it might have worked under regulated environment but not the deregulated industry. Of course it would also work if there was no supply but we know that is not the case.

The unions want a seniority based system and that is what they have as far as the legacy carriers. The fact is that when Jetblue comes along and starts, one could have left the legacy, taken advantage of their experience level, and secured a new position over there. Maybe not as good a pay as they had but nevertheless, better than if they started off at a legacy as a new pilot.

Let's face the fact that there is really no unity of pilots and that would kill the concept right off the bat. Like the argument on another thread about EJI pilots, there is a group that does not want to join the other Netjets group and join the union because they figure they are better off without them.