ATA questions?

[Frac Daddy]

What are ATA's domiciles? Which ones are senior, junior? Thanks.

 

[MooseTrax]

MDW, IND, LAX, SFO

MDW is most junior, then IND

 

[ataopsdave]

Did anybody hear what was said at the information sessions?

 

[General Lee]

Anything about the 717s?


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[MooseTrax]

atopsdave,
It looks like you already read about the roadshow. You made a post right after it in the "ATA Pool" thread on the majors page.

 

[AirJosh1]

If you recieved a postcard in Feb. are you considered in the pool for whenever interviews start again?

 

[FlyChicaga]

Heard from a guy, who heard from a guy, who's was told by George M's pet fish (you know how it goes) that an announcement either way on the 717's should come soon. If the order goes through, it means good things in the near future. If no order, then expect some assets to be sold, which means our little airline will probably be for sale. Hope the 717 purchase goes through.

 

[ataopsdave]

It would probably be better if they sold us off anyway and we just did codeshare with them

 

[its none ya]

I don't know where some of this info is coming from, but most of it is bs. I was just at the company road show about the financial state of the company. They said "we can not shrink this company to profitability" we will be keeping the Saab 340's and the 737's. The 717's are in addition to the current fleet, the only difference is we put off the rest of the orders for 737's and replaced them with 717's. THAT IS FUTURE ORDERS FOR THE 737.

Basically the company wants us to maintain status quo for two years so we can free up money, and help out our credit rating.

We should have an answer by the 10th of May. Updates to follow.

 

[ataopsdave]

Any good news come from the road show about plans for expansion such as cities and another hub

 

[its none ya]

There is a new hub coming with the aircraft. However they will not come off the info because they don't want it to leak out yet.

Here is the current plans for the 717's

18 in MDW
12 in new hub
6 in IND
18 to enhance C8 markets
6 to do point to point service

The 18 to enhance C8 is not to replace the Saab it is to help on the high load cities. The Saab will enter and establish new markets.

As for new route they have plans for new ones but they would not be specific.

 

[ataopsdave]

ok sounds like an interesting plan

 

[UpNDownGuy]

Huh???

Thanks for the info It's None Ya. I hope I can go to a road show, but scheduling owns my a$$ until next month, and there are too many trips in open time, so it doesn't look good.

I have a question about your numbers. I don't know if they explained them in any detail, but I'm curious about the 18 to enhance C8 markets. Don't all C8 markets go in and out of MDW? Wouldn't that mean there's really 36 in MDW, or is it the same 18 aircraft listed twice?

For the C8 guys...do you think it's possible to run a 717 to Flint or Des Moines with any kind of a load factor? Are you that full all the time?

In any event, it looks like interesting times ahead...

 

[its none ya]

Those were just the numbers they company put out during there dog and pony show. They did not specify if it was 18 total or 36 total. They did say that there was to be a total of 70 to 100 airframes.

Sorry I can answer your question better

 

[FlyChicaga]

Re: Huh???

For the C8 guys...do you think it's possible to run a 717 to Flint or Des Moines with any kind of a load factor? Are you that full all the time?

I think there are some cities which would see good load factors on the 717s. MDW-IND, GRR, FNT, TOL, DSM are a few. We'll see how FWA goes when we start that in June. Some markets just wouldn't be worth flying a 100-seater on, like MKE, SBN, and MSN.

I think we would do much better in many of the cities we fly to, if we weren't using the Saabs. Face it: This airplane sucks from a passenger standpoint. Plus, I'm not sure how great marketing is doing in creating brand awareness in some of these cities.

I don't know what is coming, or what the right answer is at all. But I do know morale is low right now due to all the uncertainty, and it seems like nobody will throw us a bone. It's all "wait it out, just keep doing the great job you're doing now" with no hints about what is going on. It almost feels like doom is near but nobody wants to say so, for fear we'll all up and leave. I love working here quite a bit... but the lack of knowing anything about our future is really taking it's toll.

 

[ataopsdave]

Re: Re: Huh???

I think there are some cities which would see good load factors on the 717s. MDW-IND, GRR, FNT, TOL, DSM are a few. We'll see how FWA goes when we start that in June. Some markets just wouldn't be worth flying a 100-seater on, like MKE, SBN, and MSN.

I think we would do much better in many of the cities we fly to, if we weren't using the Saabs. Face it: This airplane sucks from a passenger standpoint. Plus, I'm not sure how great marketing is doing in creating brand awareness in some of these cities.

I don't know what is coming, or what the right answer is at all. But I do know morale is low right now due to all the uncertainty, and it seems like nobody will throw us a bone. It's all "wait it out, just keep doing the great job you're doing now" with no hints about what is going on. It almost feels like doom is near but nobody wants to say so, for fear we'll all up and leave. I love working here quite a bit... but the lack of knowing anything about our future is really taking it's toll.

FlyChicaga

I dont know if I agree with you because there are probably alot of scenarios being drawn up for us because they dont want the info to leak to any of the competitiors. But I also may be totally wrong. We shall see

 

[Heavy Set]

717 Timeline - Any Estimates Yet?

When would the proposed 717s come on line? Are we talking less than 6 months or more than 1-2 years? Should be great for pilot hiring... I am betting the mystery hub is either PIT or CLT.

 

[mach zero]

Re: 717 Timeline - Any Estimates Yet?

When would the proposed 717s come on line? Are we talking less than 6 months or more than 1-2 years? Should be great for pilot hiring... I am betting the mystery hub is either PIT or CLT.

IMHO PIT is no good since it is subject to snow and the area seems economically depressed in general. CLT seems like an excellent choice. There is no LCC with a hub there now and the city seems to be growing at a fast rate. All mgmnt said about possible new hubs at the dog and pony show was it will be someplace warm between MDW and the Cayman islands.

Mgmnt also said at the roadshow that we could have the 717's here as early as 6 months but a year was a more likely timeframe.

 

[Newjetjockey]

Heard from a guy, who heard from a guy, who's was told by George M's pet fish (you know how it goes) that an announcement either way on the 717's should come soon. If the order goes through, it means good things in the near future. If no order, then expect some assets to be sold, which means our little airline will probably be for sale. Hope the 717 purchase goes through.

Hope this is not true. It sounds too much like Jonathan Ornstein quotes.