Has anyone flown ATA?
Jan 15, 2002 | 10:33 pm
#16
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Join Date: May 1998
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DCA-DSM? Give Midwest Express a shot. They're the best carrier for that citypair. Unfortunately, they probably won't be the cheapest.
Jan 16, 2002 | 3:18 am
#17
Join Date: Apr 2000
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My mom has flown monthly MSP-MDW for 2 years... since ATA started in MSP in June 2000, I'd say she's completed about 14 round trips with them.
As far as flight delays, they sometimes have trouble in the evening when 10 and 15 min delays during the day add up.... fly in the AM and you shouldn't have any trouble. The 737-800s look very nice- never knew they had leather! MDW is a manageable airport, and less hassle than O'hare or Detroit.... although bad weather in Chicago can back things up. The new terminal construction is around check-in areas, but the gate layout is about the same. With ATA using maybe 10 gates, connections will be a snap.
FYI, you can book DCA-DSM for $188 round trip plus tax through their website-- that's an online sale fare. See http://www.ata.com/whats_hot/sale011226.html Plus if you choose, book 2 additional trips on ATA by June 30 and get a free ticket for the US and Puerto Rico. A year ago, my mom and I went to San Juan on free tickets she received from her MSP-MDW trips.
Have a good trip.
[This message has been edited by Viajero Joven (edited 01-16-2002).]
As far as flight delays, they sometimes have trouble in the evening when 10 and 15 min delays during the day add up.... fly in the AM and you shouldn't have any trouble. The 737-800s look very nice- never knew they had leather! MDW is a manageable airport, and less hassle than O'hare or Detroit.... although bad weather in Chicago can back things up. The new terminal construction is around check-in areas, but the gate layout is about the same. With ATA using maybe 10 gates, connections will be a snap.
FYI, you can book DCA-DSM for $188 round trip plus tax through their website-- that's an online sale fare. See http://www.ata.com/whats_hot/sale011226.html Plus if you choose, book 2 additional trips on ATA by June 30 and get a free ticket for the US and Puerto Rico. A year ago, my mom and I went to San Juan on free tickets she received from her MSP-MDW trips.
Have a good trip.
[This message has been edited by Viajero Joven (edited 01-16-2002).]
Jan 16, 2002 | 2:26 pm
#20
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They're retiring the TriStars slowly, or moving them to charters only, and soon it will be only 737NGs and 757s flying the scheduled line.
I flew ATA SEA-MDW-DCA arriving the morning of September 10, passing through DCA the morning before the world changed. Loads were light. It was very Spartan -- no food on either segment -- but just fine. Our 757-300 was new but had mismatched carpeting and seatsets -- two different bold patterns clashing. There was IFE and enough pillows and blankets for every seat (something UA doesn't manage).
Odd to see a 757 with no F section and no cabin bulkhead where one would expect it.
The thing I remember most about the flight was that I never saw a cabin crew make such a fetish of keeping the window shades up for takeoff and landing. It was even in the safety video.
On September 11 we encountered the downside of flying an airline that has so little infrastructure and so few frequencies; they couldn't do a thing about getting us back to Seattle. ATA only scheduled two flights a day into DCA even before all hell broke loose. After 9/11 they had no way to accommodate us -- we ended up driving 3000 miles back to Seattle and turning in our return tickets for refunds. If you have a mechanical or act of God in some out station, be prepared for a loooooonnnnng wait -- there's no redundancy.
Also, they may have rebuilt the front "face" of Midway Airport, but the ATA gate areas are still as grim and bunkerlike as can be.
I flew ATA SEA-MDW-DCA arriving the morning of September 10, passing through DCA the morning before the world changed. Loads were light. It was very Spartan -- no food on either segment -- but just fine. Our 757-300 was new but had mismatched carpeting and seatsets -- two different bold patterns clashing. There was IFE and enough pillows and blankets for every seat (something UA doesn't manage).
Odd to see a 757 with no F section and no cabin bulkhead where one would expect it.
The thing I remember most about the flight was that I never saw a cabin crew make such a fetish of keeping the window shades up for takeoff and landing. It was even in the safety video.
On September 11 we encountered the downside of flying an airline that has so little infrastructure and so few frequencies; they couldn't do a thing about getting us back to Seattle. ATA only scheduled two flights a day into DCA even before all hell broke loose. After 9/11 they had no way to accommodate us -- we ended up driving 3000 miles back to Seattle and turning in our return tickets for refunds. If you have a mechanical or act of God in some out station, be prepared for a loooooonnnnng wait -- there's no redundancy.
Also, they may have rebuilt the front "face" of Midway Airport, but the ATA gate areas are still as grim and bunkerlike as can be.