This buyout is of interest to many. It is not clear what the deal really means though. Global Aero Logistics owns ATA and will now also control World as well – apparently all operating separately. Just how the deal combines two companies offering discount passenger, charter and cargo services is murky. World is still trying to digest North American.

There is also the Southwest angle which nobody has addressed yet. Southwest and ATA have a close "friendship". Subodh Karnik, formerly Delta's chief route planner, will head the group. He has been quoted as talking of a "high growth future" – no details on what exactly that means. World Air owns two charter and cargo carriers, 1,400-employee World Airways and North American Airlines, a 600-employee carrier that flies out of New York's John F. Kennedy airport. World Air also has a third unit, World Risk Solutions.

World does a lot of flying for Uncle Sam with its MD11s and DC10s. North American was at one time useful to ElAl doing coast to coast legs to feed their JFK service. North American also has its toe in international service to Africa.

ATA has 15 737s, 10 757s, 3 DC10s and 4 Tristars
World has 3 DC10s and 14 MD11s
North American has 5 757s and 5 767s

This is a messy fleet in a time when airlines try to streamline types. Almost certainly the Tristars and DC10s could be retired. There is a good demand for MD11s to be converted into freighters. But that means thinking about the fleets as a whole and it seems this is not going to happen. Combined the fleet is quite big and could be utilized in a number of ways.

But with the number of long range planes in the fleet we expect to see international operations grow. That would be Mr. Karnik's MO. No point in fighting over domestic traffic with the exception of Hawaii perhaps. There are good opportunities throughout Africa though.

This buyout is of interest to many. It is not clear what the deal really means though. Global Aero Logistics owns ATA and will now also control World as well – apparently all operating separately. Just how the deal combines two companies offering discount passenger, charter and cargo services is murky. World is still trying to digest North American.

There is also the Southwest angle which nobody has addressed yet. Southwest and ATA have a close "friendship". Subodh Karnik, formerly Delta's chief route planner, will head the group. He has been quoted as talking of a "high growth future" – no details on what exactly that means. World Air owns two charter and cargo carriers, 1,400-employee World Airways and North American Airlines, a 600-employee carrier that flies out of New York's John F. Kennedy airport. World Air also has a third unit, World Risk Solutions.

World does a lot of flying for Uncle Sam with its MD11s and DC10s. North American was at one time useful to ElAl doing coast to coast legs to feed their JFK service. North American also has its toe in international service to Africa.

ATA has 15 737s, 10 757s, 3 DC10s and 4 Tristars
World has 3 DC10s and 14 MD11s
North American has 5 757s and 5 767s

This is a messy fleet in a time when airlines try to streamline types. Almost certainly the Tristars and DC10s could be retired. There is a good demand for MD11s to be converted into freighters. But that means thinking about the fleets as a whole and it seems this is not going to happen. Combined the fleet is quite big and could be utilized in a number of ways.

But with the number of long range planes in the fleet we expect to see international operations grow. That would be Mr. Karnik's MO. No point in fighting over domestic traffic with the exception of Hawaii perhaps. There are good opportunities throughout Africa though.