ATA expanding at MDW--Again

[FlyBoeingJets]

http://biz.yahoo.com/pz/070309/115213.html

Press Release
Source: ATA Airlines, Inc.

ATA Airlines Adds New Chicago Service
Friday March 9, 9:13 am ET

Hey Chicago, We're On Not Off

All Inbound/Outbound Routes Open
Non-Stop between Chicago-Midway and Oakland, Calif. and Ontario, Calif. One-Stop between Chicago-Midway and Honolulu and Maui

INDIANAPOLIS, March 9, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Motorists may experience bumper-to-bumper, stop-n-go traffic on the Dan Ryan Expressway, but ATA passengers will enjoy non-stop service to the West Coast and one-stop service to the Hawaiian Islands this May.

ATA Airlines announced today it would begin non-stop service May 11, 2007 between Chicago-Midway Airport and -- Oakland International Airport, reestablishing its connection to the San Francisco Bay area, -- Ontario International Airport, just east of Los Angeles.

This new ATA service complements the one-stop between Chicago-Midway and the Hawaiian Islands offered jointly by ATA and its codeshare partner, Southwest Airlines. The new flights will be offered at special low introductory fares.

``This new service brings affordable fares to residents of the Midwest flying to California and Hawaii,'' said Josef Loew, ATA Senior Vice President -- Scheduled Service. ``ATA is the only airline to provide non-stop service from Midway to Ontario, a convenient alternative to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).''

Effective May 11, 2007: -- Daily non-stop flights Chicago-Midway to/from Oakland International and Ontario International, with convenient connections to/from Honolulu and Maui, Hawaii. ** -- Introductory fares between Chicago-Midway and Oakland / Ontario start as low as $69 each way for off-peak travel days, with connections to/from Hawaii offered as low as $198 each way for off-peak travel days.*

ATA previously announced it would expand service to Hawaii in June, to include Kona and Lihui. With this schedule, ATA will serve more Hawaiian destinations non-stop from the Mainland than any other airline. Through the codeshare with Southwest, ATA will connect 40 Southwest Airlines cities to Hawaii.

Effective June 14, 2007: -- Three non-stop flights per week Oakland, CA to/from Kona, Hi

Effective June 15, 2007: -- Four non-stop flights per week Oakland, CA to/from Lihui, HI -- Daily non-stop flights Las Vegas, NV to/from Maui, HI



Is ATA going to take flying away from SWA??

SWAFO, where are you??

 

[SWA/FO]

I'm in Philly - We let this happen? I thought we were pulling the strings over there? Maybe not??

 

[HalinTexas]

Two things they don't tell you.

One, it's one flight a day, and two, the return trips from the west coast are red-eyes.

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

.....the return trips from the west coast are red-eyes.

That explains it. SWA doesn't do redeyes.

 

[BVT94]

deleted.......

 

[BVT94]

I'm in Philly - We let this happen? I thought we were pulling the strings over there? Maybe not??

SWApA is too busy trying to get our QC2's back than to be concerned about trivial stuff like this.

 

[crashpad]

ATA expansion, In Your Face BABY!!!!

 

[BVT94]

I'm in Philly - We let this happen? I thought we were pulling the strings over there? Maybe not??

Have fun in Vegas!:smash:

 

[mach zero]

I wish we would just buy ATA and be done with it.

 

[757jetflier]

I wish we would just buy ATA and be done with it.

Then what would SWA do with all the crappy unqualified ATA pilots?

 

[SWA/FO]

Then what would SWA do with all the crappy unqualified ATA pilots?

staple 'em.

 

[B73av8r]

Then what would SWA do with all the crappy unqualified ATA pilots?

I know you must be talking about the PFE/FO/CA and now PFO/CA to PFE again wonder pilots.........correct???

 

[757jetflier]

I know you must be talking about the PFE/FO/CA and now PFO/CA to PFE again wonder pilots.........correct???

Nah. I was referring to the whole sorry-a**ed bunch of them(myself excluded of course, I know I'm not worthy already, been told twice), Not just the PFE/FO/CA scab like c**ks**kers that stole their seats. I would hope SWA would have more sense than to hire those worthless pukes.

 

[atafan]

The so called expansion is only a plan to move aircraft and crews for maintenance rotations, ferry flights are getting expensive.

And yes, SWA is calling the scheduled service shots.

 

[atafan]

(myself excluded of course, I know I'm not worthy already, been told twice)

Go figure.

 

[757jetflier]

Go figure.

I didn't cheer loud enough at the big SWA pep rally/talent show. I hear it's all about the big group hug at the end of the day. Guess I wasn't cuddly enough.

 

[capt. megadeth]

staple 'em.

Man...you put the capital T in Tool!

99% of them could probably fly circles around your pansy self.

 

[capt. megadeth]

I didn't cheer loud enough at the big SWA pep rally/talent show. I hear it's all about the big group hug at the end of the day. Guess I wasn't cuddly enough.

LOL! But maybe by the THIRD time you will be. (sarcasm) Yippeee!

 

[757jetflier]

No third try for this guy. Freight is treating me well too!

 

[chase]

The so called expansion is only a plan to move aircraft and crews for maintenance rotations, ferry flights are getting expensive.

And yes, SWA is calling the scheduled service shots.

ATAFan,

Your comment is interesting. SWA doesn't own any portion of ATA and the new leadership at ATA has no SWA connections...Dennison is still there but the operational decisions are in other hands.

SWA and ATA are competitors....GK said that to me when he was jumpseating shortly after the announcement 2+ yrs ago...we would do what we needed to do to make money, ATA would do the same. I believe that is what is happening here.

SWA will not be codesharing on same city pairings....what does that mean? Well, it "should" mean there won't be any advertising on www.southwest.com for these flights. Don't know for sure if that will be occurring but SWA has said they won't codeshare on that route. That could hurt the ATA flights out of OAK and ONT to HI....we'll see if the pain is enough.

Short of that, ATA needs to do what it needs to do to make money...so should SWA and also protect itself from revenue degradation on routes such as this one....expect a price war on that route and/or announcement of MDW-ONT non-stops within the next few weeks...if that doesn't occur that would be something odd quite frankly....SWA currently only does 1 stops from MDW to ONT right now. If that fails to materialize then one would have to question if SWA has gotten soft....I'll hold off on that assessment for a few months

 

[Whine Lover]

Chase,

The owners of ATA, Matlin-Patterson, and SWA have been in bed together for about 15 years on various deals.

John Dennison doesn't just happen to be ATA's Chairman of The Board and recent CEO for no reason.

You're delusional if you don't think SWA is pulling the strings at ATA.

YKW

 

[canyonblue]

Introductory fares between Chicago-Midway and Ontario start as low as $69 each way for off-peak travel days.......

Well there ya go Mega, cheap fares from ONT and you won't have to fly on Southwest.

 

[757jetflier]

Not slamming Chase but he's right at the top of that ol' pyramid, and the kool-aid is very fine. Truth is no one knows but ATA, SWA, and MatPat. But one thing is very transparent from outside the fence at Jonestown. These three players are definitely in bed together, and the floggings WILL continue.

 

[atafan]

SWA and ATA are competitors....GK said that to me when he was jumpseating shortly after the announcement 2+ yrs ago...we would do what we needed to do to make money, ATA would do the same. I believe that is what is happening here.

Respectfully, what else do you think he would say?

When I say ATA's scheduled routes are controlled by SWA what I mean is, I believe that ATA and SWA act in concert on any existing and future scheduled routes that ATA flies. I don't think you'll see ATA start any scheduled service that does not mutually benefit SWA and ATA, this is a very good thing in my opinion. Will SWA and ATA compete on some routes, maybe only because operational requirements like these new routes just announced.

Does anyone really think that ATA is planning on being a competitor of SWA?

These three players are definitely in bed together, and the floggings WILL continue.

JetFlier,

I don't agree with your poor assessment of ATA pilots but I couldn't agree more with this quote.

 

[757jetflier]

The assessment of ATA's pilots was with much sarcasm (except the PFE's of course). What pisses me off is the way SWA handled the furloughs of over 500 ATA pilots. Over the course of the rape of ATA, SWA hired what, say 1200 or more? How many ATA pilots were picked up 20, maybe 25. SWA doesn't want experience. They want to manage expectations. Much easier to do if the driver is military or RJ with nothing to base QOL or compensation on.


JetFlier,

I don't agree with your poor assessment of ATA pilots but I couldn't agree more with this quote.[/quote]

 

[capt. megadeth]

What pisses me off is the way SWA handled the furloughs of over 500 ATA pilots. Over the course of the rape of ATA, SWA hired what, say 1200 or more? How many ATA pilots were picked up 20, maybe 25.

Amen bro! That's just the icing on the cake.

 

[SWA/FO]

Man...you put the capital T in Tool! 99% of them could probably fly circles around your pansy self.

I can fly circles around you. Are we talking about Chicago Express? You were never at ATA...how would you know?

What pisses me off is the way SWA handled the furloughs of over 500 ATA pilots. Over the course of the rape of ATA, SWA hired what, say 1200 or more? How many ATA pilots were picked up 20, maybe 25.

Source? You have to pass the interview, repeat: one has to PASS the interview. We just don't hand out jobs to anyone.

imp: the SWA/FO

 

[757jetflier]

I can fly circles around you. Are we talking about Chicago Express? You were never at ATA...how would you know?



Source? You have to pass the interview, repeat: one has to PASS the interview. We just don't hand out jobs to anyone.

imp: the SWA/FO

Passed the interview TWICE dipsh*t. The fact I was ATA was the kiss of death at the DB. Don't yank my chain sonny, I've been around. I was losing my job because of SWA and looking to stay employed. I have a lot of friends on the inside including the PD, I know the whole drill.

Initially pref interviews were offered to the first furloughs. Suddenly those pref interviews went away with only a handful hired. Both times I interviewed was not the pref kind, however something SWA decided definitely had an effect on how many ATA pilots, furloughed or not were brought on board. Your PD and DB really do have some funny criteria given the stats of who they hire and who they don't.

All in all, I'm happy I didn't get picked up. The whole cult/sweatshop culture at SWA definitely wouldn't fit my rogue personality. Funny how things work out isn't it. I mean , SWA's whole warrior spirit/individualist mentality. Reality tells me that all you guys are looking for are conformists, lock-stepping to the beat of the SWA drum.

Enjoy your parade, thank you, I'll gladly watch from over here!

 

[SWA/FO]

Passed the interview TWICE dipsh*t. The fact I was ATA was the kiss of death at the DB. Don't yank my chain sonny, I've been around. I was losing my job because of SWA and looking to stay employed. I have a lot of friends on the inside including the PD, I know the whole drill.

Most people pair the two 1) passing the interview and 2) getting the job. If you passed the interview TWICE you would have been HIRED TWICE. The DB is part of the interview.

Your PD and DB really do have some funny criteria given the stats of who they hire and who they don't.

very true.

Reality tells me that all you guys are looking for are conformists, lock-stepping to the beat of the SWA drum.

Reality tells me that all you guys are looking for are conformists, lock-stepping to the beat of the (insert any Company name here) drum. Its called the FOM.

 

[757jetflier]

Most people pair the two 1) passing the interview and 2) getting the job. If you passed the interview TWICE you would have been HIRED TWICE. The DB is part of the interview.



very true.



Reality tells me that all you guys are looking for are conformists, lock-stepping to the beat of the (insert any Company name here) drum. Its called the FOM.

Take it for what it's worth because I'm sure in your myopic little world you know more than just about anyone, but .....during my interview process it was monitored very closely by insiders (maybe not on the DB itself, but someone closely connected). I do know what, and why, and trust me when I say this; I am glad that things worked out the way they did.

Saves me from having to see for myself just how "cool you are" in the crew room spewing the latest drivel from your FOM!