ATA files chapter 11 bankruptcy and vanishes like a thief in the night.
Indiana airline, ATA ( a subsidiary of Global Aero Logistics Inc.) announced this morning that they are closing their doors for good, making this the second bankruptcy in 3 years for the ill-fated company. Flights were canceled without notice. Pilots, attendants, and all other positions were laid off. Passengers are stranded in Hawaii, as well as all over the continental US. of the 10,000 or so daily travelers that use ATA’s airline, all were greeted with the same level of customer service. The ATA counter in Los Angeles was deserted Thursday. It had a sign on it that read, in part, “We regret the inconvenience caused by the sudden shutdown of ATA.”
A sign, with a faceless, nameless apology. Not “I’m terribly sorry you missed the flight to your wedding”, or “It is with deep regret that you will not make it in time for your board meeting”, or even a little “It’s ok, we’ve made arrangements to secure alternative flight options for you”. Just an empty desk and a cold sign. It is said that the near 2,300 employees of the ATA airline weren’t given much more than that either. A blindsiding pink-slip and a kick in the ass out the door, leaving them to find new means to support their families and lifestyles with no warning at all.
In this day of modern business and internet consumers have we gone so far away from interacting with our customers that we have NO moral code when it comes to delivering bad news? Are we no longer afraid that the failure of one venture will inhibit the success of a future venture? Has it become so easy to cut ties, wash our hands and walk away, completely disregarding the wake of despair our disaster left behind as people lose jobs, homes, childcare, the very food off their table? Where is the outrage? Where is the lynch mob? How does a company of this stature pay for the damage they have caused?
Australian man, Ian Usher sells his life on eBay: Erase and reboot or sell out and cash in? You decide!
In what might possibly be the greatest publicity stunt ever concocted by a single man, Ian Usher has placed his entire life up for an auction that will begin June 22nd on eBay. The auction is said to include his home, jet ski’s, skydiving gear, car, and even a two-week trial at his job managing a rug store. The general premise of the auction is this: He had a great life with the woman of his dreams, but then she left him. Now he wants to let go of everything and just make a brand new start for himself somewhere new. He readily admits: “I am still not sure whether this is inspired madness, complete foolishness, or just some sort of mid-life crisis.
“On the day it’s all sold and settled, I intend to walk out of my front door with my wallet in one pocket and my passport in the other, nothing else at all,” Usher says on his Web site. “I appreciate that many people have had to cope with much more than I have and have had much more sadness in their lives. This is just my way of dealing with what has happened to me.”
“Everything that I have — the furniture in the house — all has memories attached to it,” Usher, 44, told Seven Network television. “It’s time to shed the old, and in with the new.”
However, many readers of his website ALife4Sale are stating that it looks like a big stunt to make Ian a millionaire. On his site, he is telling the 1st of 4 chapters of his life and the story behind his marriage for free. Now for a mere $2.95 you can download the other 3 installments of the story to see where it all went wrong and what led up to the upcoming drastic purge of his life as he knows it.
So readers, tell me… do you think he’ll follow through with the auction? Do you think he’ll make more money off the auction or the e-book? Do you think he’ll get sued by his now ex-wife? For more on Ian Usher, here is what we at RRC were able to find about him.
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ATA files chapter 11 bankruptcy and vanishes like a thief in the night.