Delta and US Airways step in for ATA

US Airways and Delta Air Lines have announced plans to assist passengers inconvenienced by the discontinuation of ATA Airlines' services.

Delta has said that customers with confirmed ATA tickets for certain flights to Hawaii and Mexico will be offered standby flights for $100 per person through the end of April. ATA passengers will also be able to purchase confirmed space tickets with a 20 percent discount on walk-up fares.

Tickets are non-transferable and must be purchased from a Delta ticket counter with proof of purchase for original ATA tickets a requirement. Destinations covered by Delta include Honolulu and Kahului in Hawaii, and Guadalajara and Cancun in Mexico.

ATA stops flying, files for Chapter 11

© Boeing

For the second time in recent weeks a U.S. airline has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection and stopped flying passengers. First, it was Aloha Airlines.

Now there is word that discount airline ATA has followed suit – citing the “unexpected cancellation” of a key military charter contract, and soaring fuel prices.

The move could put travelers who want to fly to Hawaii in a bind. Aloha provided a fairly significant number of seats between the Islands and the U.S. Mainland, and ATA was fashioning its schedule around low-fare flights out of Oakland to Hawaii. Now, both those continental conduits are kaput. The upshot could be increased prices to paradise – at least until the market rights itself.

ATA files for bankruptcy

ATA Airlines has announced that it has filed for voluntary bankruptcy.

The carrier made its petition, under Chapter 11, to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana yesterday (Wednesday, April 2).

All ATA flights were discontinued as of 4am (Eastern Time) this morning (Thursday, April 3). This means the airline is unable to honor any reservations or tickets for current or future travel.

ATA Airlines to cut Midway service

ATA Airlines has announced plans to withdraw both domestic and international air services from Chicago's Midway International Airport.

From April 14, the carrier will no longer operate services from or to Midway for all markets including Oakland and Dallas/Fort Worth.

International flights to Cancun and Guadalajara in Mexico will be discontinued on June 7, though flights to the West Coast and Hawaii will remain unaffected.

ATA boosts Hawaii sojourns: three new routes

Hawaiian hoteliers and tour operators are always craving extra low-fare air links to the Mainland. Now, they have three more.

Discount airline ATA has launched a trio of routes from the Continental United States to paradise.

Fliers can now take advantage of ATA’s low fares three times per week from Oakland (OAK) to Kona (KOA) on the Big Island; four times a week from Oakland to Lihue, Kauai (LIH); and daily from Las Vegas (LAS) to Kahului, Maui (OGG).

ATA unveils FlightBank expansion

Pre-purchase credits are now available to passengers flying between Hawaii and the U.S. mainland on ATA Airlines through its expanded FlightBank Program.

The airline's frequent fliers will benefit from cheaper tickets as well as more convenient travel options. Customers will have no need to shop around for the cheapest fares with the pre-pay option.

Savings of up to 50 percent on published round-trip fares to the Islands will be available and there are no blackout dates on the advance fares.

ATA unveils new Visa card

A new credit-card option from Barclays is now available to ATA Airlines customers, which will allow them to build up miles and discounts.

For every $3 spent on the ATA Visa Signature Card, holders will receive one ATA Travel Award point to be credited to their related ATA frequent-flier account.

New customers will also receive 3,000 bonus points - the equivalent of a free Companion Award ticket on ATA - when they first use the card for either a purchase or a balance transfer.

ATA adds flights in time for busy summer season

Seems everyone wants to fly in the summertime, and this season could be busier than ever.

To that end, discount airline ATA is adding extra seats ‘twixt Los Angeles (LAX) and Honolulu (HNL), a prime leisure route. Beginning July 17 there will be two flights daily – save Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

More added capacity: ATA is laying on a fifth daily nonstop between Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW) and close-in Chicago Midway (MDW). The five-departure-per-day schedule will be in effect every day except Saturday.

ATA switches to Oakland, offers new Hawaii service

Oakland International Airport is host to an expansion of services to the Hawaiian Islands by ATA Airlines, which began yesterday (Thursday, April 27).

ATA is offering customers several new nonstop flights, including twice-daily departures to Honolulu, a daily service to Maui, and the only nonstop service between the U.S. mainland and Hilo.

The airline will switch its northern Californian operations across the Bay, from San Francisco to Oakland, as part of its change of service.

ATA launches new California-Honolulu route

A new connection to Hawaii starts today (Friday, April 28) from Ontario International Airport (ONT) in California.

ATA Airlines will operate a daily, nonstop flight to Honolulu from Ontario, using the ever-popular Boeing 737 as part of its "enhanced West Coast and Hawaii flying program".

The airline will also offer connections to the smaller Hawaiian islands of Maui and Hilo, via Oakland.