INDIANAPOLIS, July 19, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- ATA Airlines, Inc., the primary subsidiary of parent company, ATA Holdings Corp. (Pink Sheets:ATAHQ), today announced the addition of nonstop service to three new Florida cities and more flights to a fourth Sunshine State city from Chicago's most convenient airport, Midway, beginning in October 2005. Introductory fares are each way based on round-trip purchase in coach class and are available on ata.com for as low as $79 (see Note) with a 14-day advance purchase for travel between October 29, 2005 and February 14, 2006. The introductory fares must be purchased before Midnight (E.D.T.) on August 16, 2005.
"The response to the new ATA from the Chicago market has been tremendous. We continue to offer Chicago customers the low fares, excellent on-time performance and friendly service to which they have become accustomed over the last 11 years in Chicago," said Subodh Karnik, ATA's Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. "Our expansion is in direct response to our customers' requests that we expand service and add more leisure markets. As a result, we are adding new nonstop service to Miami, Sarasota and Orlando, and increasing service to Ft. Myers and Cancun."
ATA's increased service from Chicago-Midway to Florida includes the following introductory fares, are each way based on a 14-day advance round-trip purchase, coach class only, on ata.com:
Chicago-Midway Introductory Fares(see Note) to/from Miami (service starts Oct. 29) $94 Sarasota (service starts Oct. 29) $99 Orlando (service starts Oct. 29) $79
ATA is increasing the total number of daily flights from Chicago-Midway to Florida to ten. The total number of daily flights ATA operates from Chicago-Midway will rise to 54 from the 48 in the system today. The start date for the new and expanded ATA service varies by market:
ATA's New Miami Service
-----------------------
-- On October 29, ATA is adding new daily nonstop service from
Chicago-Midway to Miami with two daily round-trip flights.
-- On December 13, ATA will add a third daily round-trip flight
from Chicago-Midway to Miami.
ATA's New Sarasota Service
--------------------------
-- On October 29, ATA is adding service from Chicago-Midway to
Sarasota with a new daily nonstop round-trip flight.
-- On December 13, ATA will add a second daily round-trip flight
from Chicago-Midway to Sarasota.
ATA's New Orlando Service
-------------------------
-- On October 29, ATA is adding service from Chicago-Midway to
Orlando with two daily nonstop round-trip flights.
ATA's Expanded Ft. Myers Service
--------------------------------
-- On October 15, ATA is adding a second Chicago-Midway round-trip
flight to Ft. Myers.
-- On December 13, ATA is adding a third round-trip nonstop flight
from Chicago-Midway to Ft. Myers.
ATA's Expanded Cancun Service
-----------------------------
-- On December 13, ATA is adding a second Saturday flight from
Chicago-Midway to Cancun.
ATA Airlines, now in its 32nd year of operation, offers "easy" and affordable travel to 30 cities on its own flights and more than 75 destinations through its codeshare partnership with Southwest Airlines. ATA serves major business centers and popular vacation destinations in Hawaii, Florida and the Caribbean. Try ATA's 15-times-a-weekday service between New York and Chicago-Midway. For more information, visit ata.com.
Note: Fares do not include a $3.20 federal segment tax per takeoff and landing. Fares do not include a September 11th Security Fee of up to $10 per round-trip. Introductory fares are available for travel 10/29/05 through 2/14/06 and must be purchased by August 16,2005, Midnight (E.D.T.) Blackout dates of 11/18/05, 11/19/05, 11/23/05, 11/24/05, 11/26/05 to 11/28/05, 12/16/05, 12/17/05, 12/22/05-12/24/05, 12/26/05, 12/30/05, 1/2/06 and 1/7/06-1/8/06 apply. Fares may not be available for purchase during high-volume travel periods. Fares are each way based on a 14-day advance round-trip purchase in coach class; only available on ata.com; non-refundable, subject to change without notice. Not all destinations on sale. Seats are limited and may not be available on all flights and dates. Passenger facility charge of up to $18 per round-trip not included in fares.