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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): July 16, 2003

                               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 appointment of John B.
Happ to Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales of ATA Airlines, Inc.

ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

(C) Exhibits.

    99.1 Press Release dated July 16, 2003.

                                   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: July 16, 2003                     By: /s/ David M. Wing
                                            -----------------
                                        Name: David M. Wing
                                        Title: Executive Vice President & CFO

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.    Description of the Exhibit

99.1           Press Release dated July 16, 2003

  ATA Airlines Names John B. Happ Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales

INDIANAPOLIS,  July 16, 2003 - ATA Holdings  Corp.  (NASDAQ:  ATAH),  the parent
company of ATA Airlines (ATA Airlines, Inc.), the nation's 10th largest airline,
today  announced that John B. Happ has been named to the position of Senior Vice
President  of  Marketing  and  Sales.  In  this  role,  Happ  will  oversee  all
revenue-related   functions  for  the  Company,   including  marketing,   sales,
reservations,  distribution  planning,  network  planning,  pricing  and revenue
management, and customer loyalty programs. He will assume his new role effective
immediately.

"John's tremendous  background,  coupled with his extensive industry  knowledge,
makes him an invaluable  asset to our management  team," said George  Mikelsons,
ATA Chairman and CEO. "We will draw on his 20-plus  years of airline  experience
to improve ATA's revenue performance. He will be responsible for enhancing ATA's
image in the  marketplace and moving forward on the "Honestly  Different"  brand
that we've created.  John will also be a member of my Executive  Committee and a
key player in all of ATA's decisions.  I heartily welcome John and his family to
Indianapolis."

Happ said,  "This is an incredible time to join ATA -- a company that has been a
leader in the emerging group of low-cost  carriers.  The Company is blessed with
the  youngest  fleet of any major  carrier,  a primary  hub in  Chicago's  newly
renovated  Midway  Airport,  and a  dedicated  group of  professional  employees
committed to making ATA "an honestly different  airline." There are considerable
opportunities to take the Company to the next level, both in terms of revenue as
well as posture, and I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and working closely
with George and the management team in doing so."

Happ has an extensive  background in the airline  industry,  having held various
marketing and planning positions at Singapore Airlines, Continental Airlines and
most recently at Hawaiian  Airlines.  While at Hawaiian  Airlines,  he served as
Senior  Vice  President  of  Marketing  and  Sales  where he led the  effort  to
transition the company from a small,  regional niche carrier with an aging fleet
and limited route structure  through a five-year period. It was during this time
that the carrier nearly doubled revenues,  expanded  trans-Pacific  capacity and
introduced  a new fleet of Boeing  narrow and  wide-body  aircraft.  The carrier
adopted  a new image  and  livery,  significantly  expanded  its code  share and
partner  marketing  relationships,  and  moved  aggressively  into  a  web-based
distribution model.

Happ and his family will be relocating to Indianapolis from Hawaii.

Now  celebrating  its 30th year of  operation,  ATA is the nation's 10th largest
airline based on revenue  passenger  miles. ATA operates  significant  scheduled
service from Chicago-Midway, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, St. Petersburg, Fla. and
San  Francisco  to  over  40  business  and  vacation  destinations.   For  more
information about the Company, visit the web site at www.ata.com.

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