American Trans Air (ATA) can have its history traced back to a private air travel club, Ambassadair, founded in 1973, with only one Boeing 720.

1981 is an important year for ATA, as it is certified as a chartered carrier since then. It initiated scheduled service between Indianapolis and Ft. Myers in 1986.

It also introduced L-1011 since then. The L-1011 has all-coach 10-abreast 30-in seat pitch configuration, thus making capacity of over 360 persons, the highest in the world, but seat width of only 16". How uncomfortable the passengers are!

ATA carried 108,000 military personnel on 494 missions to the Persian Gulf for Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and is the largest among all civilian passenger carriers.

ATA becomes the first airline to receive FAA certification for 180-minute ETOPS operation with the B-757 aircraft in 1992.

ATA passed $1 billion annual revenue mark in 1999, and hence designated as 10th 'Major Carrier' by US DOT in 2000.

ATA's fleet of L-1011, B727-200 and B757-200 become very old, so it made orders of 38 B737-800 and 10 B757-300 in 2000 for 2001-03 delivery. This and retirement of old aircrafts including L-1011 greatly reduces its average fleet age, and makes ATA single aisle-only operator again.

ATA starts its first scheduled international flights to Aruba, Cancun, Grand Cayman and Guadalajara since Feb 2002, thus offering passengers more choice.

Hope more airlines like ATA would offer USA - Canada flights, so providing more choices and hence lower fare.