Three years ago today, ATA shut down...

[tzskipper]

Time flies.

S

 

[HalinTexas]

AT-who?

 

[propjob27]

AT-who?

That's pretty much what people said when it (we) were still flying.

Aside from the always good crowd at Mr. Cs.

 

[HalinTexas]

That's pretty much what people said when it (we) were still flying.

Aside from the always good crowd at Mr. Cs.

Yes, I flew there. I heard it first hand. And I had to take a roommate/landlord (dumb drunk) home one T-day for getting in fight with Andy. Nice. Somehow I was responsible.

I miss my HI RON's.

 

[relief tube]

.....and now airtran and partially sw. goes where they used to go.

 

[The Prussian]

Good people lost good jobs due to bad management...

 

[xkuzme1]

Good people lost good jobs due to bad management...

History of the airline world.

Actually not bad management but mismanagement. Managing the only goal towards investor profits until the airline collapses in on itself because it cannot continue to be a cash cow is mismanagement. There is very little short term gain to reinvest in a company.

X

 

[The Prussian]

History of the airline world.

Actually not bad management but mismanagement. Managing the only goal towards investor profits until the airline collapses in on itself because it cannot continue to be a cash cow is mismanagement. There is very little short term gain to reinvest in a company.

X

Agreed...and it is remarkable how quickly ATA's fortunes headed south after Mikelsons went into semi-retirement.

 

[HalinTexas]

Mikelsons was part of the problem. Too big of an ego. Didn't like hearing bad news. He should have never brought back John Tague. ATA was salvageable in '04, up until the GAL merger and the "death cruiser" purchase. Needed leadership that wanted to take it somewhere, and George wasn't all that interested anymore.

Basically, I'm over it. Went outside the country three times, left the 3rd before it really go started. Back in the US, it seems.

No one else really cares. It's all about SWAretran, UniTEDintal, and Norwelta now. Then there's FedExcrement and OOPS and all the rest are dirtbag outfits. Except all think they're the best, and all other's suck.

And Mesa sucks.

 

[JetFumes]

Mikelsons was part of the problem. Too big of an ego. Didn't like hearing bad news. He should have never brought back John Tague. ATA was salvageable in '04, up until the GAL merger and the "death cruiser" purchase. Needed leadership that wanted to take it somewhere, and George wasn't all that interested anymore.

Basically, I'm over it. Went outside the country three times, left the 3rd before it really go started. Back in the US, it seems.

No one else really cares. It's all about SWAretran, UniTEDintal, and Norwelta now. Then there's FedExcrement and OOPS and all the rest are dirtbag outfits. Except all think they're the best, and all other's suck.

And Mesa sucks.

Yep, both Alaska and JetBlue really suck as well. Don't even bother applying.

 

[propjob27]

I'm no expertin my short run there but here are my thoughts:

Mikelsons simply got tired of being the CEO of "the biggest little airline you've never heard of..." (Well quoted) and took a shot at Southwest in MDW and NWA in IND and tried to become a legit Low Cost Carrier...

OOPS

It was a huge mistake. SWA and NWA spanked us good.

I think had he just left things alone and let ATA fly AMC troops(as well as other troop nationalities) and various other civ charters flights around the globe, they (we) would still be flying. Ie, World and Omni still are. And what so differently did they do from ATA? ATA would still exisit flying Pole and Romanian troops on 757s and L-1011s from their home into the sandbox, and back home. And our toops too.

They simply should'nt have taken glance shots at real scheduled airlines already flying out of MDW and IND. (SWA and NWA)

So why the hell did we decide to do that???

Anywho, thats my limited 2 cents.

I guess eventually everyone (including GM) got tired of hearing "AT-Who??" and took his shot. "I'm gonna put ATA on the MAP in MDW, IND and DEN!" You will know who we are!!!'

And in adoptiong that angle, the regular part 121 civ carriers chewed us to peicies, and the World, Ominis, North Amerians of the charter game got the rest of the spoils

 

[Fubijaakr]

At least ATA f/as got preferential hiring at North American.

 

[strobzz]

At least ATA f/as got preferential hiring at North American.

Just exactlly what does this statement mean?

 

[600rvr]

Hearing a buzz that USA 3000 has suffered the same fate... Anyone?

 

[Ty Webb]

Sorry that you guys had to go through it.

I always enjoyed flying on ATA, especially out of PIE, and I have flown with a lot of great guys here at AirTranz who are former ATA. Best regards to all former ATA employees, and hope they have been able to regroup and rebuild.

 

[Fubijaakr]

Just exactlly what does this statement mean?

It means ATA F/As got preferential hiring at North American.

 

[Ty Webb]

It means ATA F/As got preferential hiring at North American.

So, what does that mean? :laugh:

 

[Zoneload]

So what are you saying?

 

[HighSpeedClimb]

Aloha shut down 3 days earlier

 

[Esprit]

I hope we don't do this every year. Yes, great times at ATA, but its time to move on.

ESPRIT