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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of
                       The Securities Exchange Act of 1934


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        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): August 21, 2002

                               ATA Holdings Corp.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

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       Indiana                         000-21642               35-1617970
(State or other jurisdiction   (Commission File Number)     (I.R.S. Employer
   of incorporation)                                     Identification Number)


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                           7337 West Washington Street
                              Indianapolis, Indiana
                                      46231
               (Address of principal executive offices) (zip code)

       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (317) 247-4000

                                       N/A
          (Former name or former address, if changes since last report)

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ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS

Attached  hereto,  and  incorporated  herein by  reference in its  entirety,  as
Exhibit 99.1 is a copy of a press release announcing the company's  reduction of
capacity through aircraft retirements.


ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

(C) Exhibits. 99.1 Press Release dated August 20, 2002.

ITEM 9. REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

The  following  press  release  contains   forward-looking   information.   Such
forward-looking  information  is based upon  management's  current  knowledge of
factors  affecting  the  Company's  business.  Where the  Company  expresses  an
expectation or belief as to future results in any  forward-looking  information,
such expectations or belief is expressed in good faith and is believed to have a
reasonable  basis. The differences  between expected outcomes and actual results
can be material, depending upon circumstances.



                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                ATA Holdings Corp.

Date: August 21, 2002           By: /s/ Kenneth K. Wolff
                                    --------------------
                                Name:  Kenneth K. Wolff
                                Title:  Executive Vice President & CFO



                                 EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.     Description of the Exhibit

99.1            Press Release dated August 20, 2002




ATA to Reduce Capacity through Aircraft Retirements

INDIANAPOLIS,  August 20,  2002 - ATA  Holdings  Corp.  (Nasdaq:  ATAH),  parent
company of ATA  (American  Trans Air,  Inc.),  today  announced  it would reduce
planned  capacity  beginning in September 2002.  Through numerous fleet changes,
beginning with the  elimination of the Lockheed  L-1011  aircraft from scheduled
service, ATA will reduce 2002 to 2004 scheduled service capacity,  cut costs and
conserve cash.

"The airline  industry must match capacity to demand  immediately if the revenue
environment is to improve," said George Mikelsons,  ATA Chairman and CEO. "These
actions  will have an  immediate  effect on ATA's cash  balances and will be the
first of many steps toward flying ATA back to profitability."

As of September 2002,  ATA's scheduled  service will be flown entirely by Boeing
757 and  Boeing  737  aircraft  with an  average  age of under  two  years.  The
remaining  Lockheed  L-1011 fleet will continue to be utilized for ATA's charter
contract with the U.S. Military.

Also  in   September,   ATA  will  remove  one  daily  trip  from  each  of  its
Chicago-Midway  to  Denver,   Newark,  Ft.  Lauderdale,   St.  Petersburg,   and
Philadelphia markets.

"We will continue to evaluate our long-term  capacity plan and make  appropriate
adjustments  as needed to optimize our scheduled  service  business,"  Mikelsons
added.

ATA is the nation's 10th largest passenger  carrier,  based on revenue passenger
miles.  Now in its 29th year of operation,  ATA operates  significant  scheduled
service from  Chicago-Midway  and  Indianapolis to over 40 business and vacation
destinations. To learn more about the company, visit the website at www.ata.com.