More dead airlines...

[Sean_TK]

Just found out that ATA (American Trans Air) shut down ops, either yesterday or today, and then on May 31st, Champion Air will close up too...

An unfortunate week for the US airline industry.

[flyboy 28]

It's largely due to the soaring fuel costs. Shame, I've always liked ATA. Good service, clean planes and good looking paint.

[expat]

Alitalia also on it's last breaths. Air France/KLM have pulled out of a buy out deal.

Matt

[RitterKreuz]

ATA was in DFW a lot. they had the government contract to shuttle troops.

since their aircraft were notorious for breaking down and their completion factor was not the best they lost their government contract (which was probably their largest customer)

since then it has been an up hill battle for the airline, the loss of the fed contract along with soaring fuel costs have forced them to close their doors.

One major issue was that pilots, linemen and mechanics who showed up for work at 0400 - 0600 at DFW... the employee security portals were not accepting their access badges or hand print identification and therefore they were not being let into security.

many of them called their scheduling department... no answer

they then called their dispatchers... no answer

THATS HOW SOME OF THEM FOUND OUT THEY WERE "FIRED"  >:(

[Sean_TK]

Wow, that's surprising to see that Italy's national airline might go under as well...thanks for the info expat.

In other unfortunate aviation news, the new US startup "Skybus" is failing already and it's survival into the near future looks grim.

Also, (I've known this for at least a year), Aeroflot, Russia's national airline, will stop flying all of their Tu-154's by 2010, and I believe that they have already ended service with the Tu-134's. Not sure about Aeroflot's regional divisions though, such as Aeroflot-Nord and -Don. As you may have guessed, they are bringing in more western aircraft now...(yuck!  ;D )

Come on people, we need to see some good airliner news soon!  ;)

-SeanTK