Amtran Announces Receipt of Letter From Citicorp USA and Salomon Smith Barney Concerning Financing for Going-Private Transaction.

Business Editors

INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 20, 2001

Amtran, Inc. (Nasdaq:AMTR), parent company of American Trans Air, Inc. ("ATA"), announced today that it has received a letter from Citicorp USA, Inc. and Salomon Smith Barney Inc. regarding the Commitment Letter dated June 18, 2001 to Amtran and ATA (the "Commitment Letter") relating to the proposed $175 million secured credit facility to be used to finance the proposed transaction in which Amtran would be taken private. This letter states that Citicorp USA and Salomon Smith Barney are requesting information from Amtran and ATA regarding the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations and properties of Amtran and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to assist Citicorp USA and Salomon Smith Barney in determining whether the conditions set forth in the Commitment Letter and the Summary of Terms and Conditions attached thereto will not or are not likely to be satisfied. This letter also states that Citicorp USA and Salomon Smith Barney will contact Amtran and ATA shortly to discuss certain specific information that Citicorp USA and Salomon Smith Barney would like Amtran and ATA to provide them.

In response to this letter, Amtran and ATA have verbally told Citicorp USA and Salomon Smith Barney that they will endeavor to provide any information that may be requested in connection with this letter.

Amtran's common stock trades on the NASDAQ Stock Market under symbol "AMTR." ATA, now in its 28th year of operation, is the nation's 10th largest passenger carrier, based on revenue passenger miles, and operates significant scheduled service from Chicago-Midway and Indianapolis. The entire fleet is supported by ATA's own maintenance and engineering facilities in Indianapolis and Chicago-Midway and maintenance support stations worldwide. You can learn more about ATA by visiting its website at www.ata.com.

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements: This communication contains certain "forward-looking statements". These statements are based on Amtran management's current expectations and are naturally subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from the expectations contained herein. The forward-looking statements contained herein include statements about the merger. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described herein: failure of the requisite number of Amtran shareholders to approve the merger; the inability to obtain financing to pay merger consideration; the costs related to the merger; litigation challenging the merger; and other economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory factors affecting Amtran's businesses generally. More detailed information about those factors is set forth in filings made by Amtran with the SEC. Except to the extent required under the federal securities laws, Amtran is not under any obligation to (and expressly disclaims any such obligation to) update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.