Bankrupt ATA ends 309 jobs in Chicago

ATA Airlines, which closed down Thursday, said 309 workers at Midway International Airport were laid off, according to a document filed with the state.

The document said the airline notified the state on March 12, but many employees weren't aware of the shutdown until they arrived for work Thursday morning. That's when all service was canceled.

The nation's 10th-largest air carrier, ATA entered bankruptcy for the second time in about three years on Wednesday. The company had around 2,200 employees.

The Indianapolis-based airline's Web site (www.ata.com) said ATA customers who purchased tickets using a credit card should contact their credit card company or travel agency directly on how to obtain a refund.

ATA said it is unable to provide refunds to customers who purchased tickets directly from ATA with cash or check. These customers may be able to obtain a full or partial refund for their unused tickets by submitting a claim in ATA's Chapter 11 proceedings.

Information about submitting a claim is at: www.bmcgroup.com/ataairlines.

Customers who purchased tickets from Southwest Airlines for flights operated by ATA under a code share agreement should contact Southwest Airlines at (800) 308-5037.

Southwest has implemented a plan to take care of all customers who purchased a ticket on Southwest and are scheduled to travel on ATA service by rebooking them on a new itinerary, or offering a full refund for any unused portion of a ticket, ATA said.