Release #02.040
May 10, 2002

MEDIA ADVISORY:

CHICAGO – The pilots of American Trans Air (ATA), represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), will conduct informational picketing at Indianapolis International Airport Monday morning, May 13, to show their increasing frustration with the slow pace of contract negotiations. The informational picketing will coincide with the annual Amtran, Inc., shareholders meeting in Indianapolis.

"This informational picketing event is especially important because Indianapolis is the hometown of ATA and our parent company, Amtran, Inc.," said Captain Matt Ellis, an ATA Boeing 737-800 pilot. "The picketing gives the cockpit crewmembers an opportunity to tell the traveling public, Amtran shareholders, and the investment community that our patience is growing thin after two years of contract negotiations."

"Our message is that if management runs the airline the way it negotiates with its professional pilots, ATA’s prosperity and growth will be slow and frustrating," Ellis added.

ATA pilots and management have been in contract negotiations since May 2000, and in federal mediation since December 2001. In April, the ATA crewmembers voted by an overwhelming margin of 98 percent to approve a strike, if necessary, to achieve a fair agreement.

Below are details of the informational picketing:

Where: Indianapolis International Airport: Outside in front of the ATA ticket counters.

When: Monday, May 13, 2002, 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Formed in 1931 and affiliated with the AFL-CIO, ALPA is the world’s oldest and largest pilots union, representing more than 62,000 pilots at 42 airlines in the United States and Canada. ALPA’s website is http://www.alpa.org.

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ALPA Contacts: Matt Ellis, (310) 213-9324

Chris Kern, (630) 697-1708