ATA Airlines may return to its travel club roots if it emerges from bankruptcy in a few months' time after filing for Chapter 11 protection on 26 October 2004.

The airline is the tenth biggest in the US and joins US Airways and United Airlines on the list of bankrupt major carriers. ATA is preparing to sell off most of its assets at Chicago's Midway Airport and make Indianapolis its main hub following its bankruptcy filing.

AirTran Airways is thought to be acquiring ATA's Midway assets but the airline said that it does not plan to sell off its most profitable assets including Ambassadair Travel Club which formed the base of what became ATA in 1973, reports The Associated Press.