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                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C. 20549

                           SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
                                (RULE 14A-101)
                   PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(a)
                    OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Filed by the Registrant  [X]
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant   [ ]

Check the appropriate box:
[ ] Preliminary Proxy Statement                [ ] Confidential, For Use of the
[ ] Definitive Proxy Statement                 Commission Only (as permitted
[ ] Definitive Additional Materials            by  Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
[X] Soliciting Material Under Rule 14a-12


                                 AMTRAN, INC.
               (Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

   (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

[X] No fee required.

[ ] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11

         (1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
         (2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
         (3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
         pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth amount on which the
         filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined): (4)
         Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
         (5) Total fee paid:
[ ] Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

[ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid
previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or
the form or schedule and the date of its filing.

         (1) Amount previously paid:

         (2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:

         (3) Filing Party:

         (4) Date Filed:

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AMTRAN ANNOUNCES RECORD DATE FOR SHAREHOLDERS MEETING

INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 17 /PRNewswire/--


The Board of Directors of Amtran, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMTR), parent company of
American Trans Air, Inc., today set August 20, 2001 as the new record date for
the annual meeting of the shareholders which was previously adjourned on May
29, 2001. The proposed transaction in which Amtran would be taken private,
among other things, will be voted upon at the adjourned annual meeting when it
is reconvened. Amtran expects to announce the date on which the adjourned
annual meeting will be reconvened shortly.

Amtran employs over 8,000 people. The Company's common stock trades on the
NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol "AMTR." ATA, now in its 28th year of
operation, is the nation's 11th largest passenger carrier, based on revenue
passenger miles. ATA operates significant scheduled service from
Chicago-Midway and Indianapolis to 28 destinations and has a fleet of 57
aircraft, including 4 Boeing 737s, 22 Boeing 727s, 15 Boeing 757s, and 16
Lockheed L-1011s. Chicago Express Airlines, Inc., the Company's wholly-owned
commuter airline, operates nine Saab 340Bs. The entire fleet is supported by
the Company'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.

This press release is also available on the Amtran website: www.ata.com.

Important Legal Information

In connection with the merger contemplated by the Agreement and Plan of Merger
dated as of June 18, 2001, Amtran filed a Preliminary Proxy Statement with the
SEC on June 29, 2001 and filed Amendment No. 1 to that Preliminary Proxy
Statement on August 3, 2001. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ
THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT, WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE, BECAUSE IT WILL
CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE MERGER. Investors and security holders
may obtain a free copy of the definitive proxy statement, when it becomes
available, and other documents filed with, or furnished to, the SEC by Amtran
at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov. The definitive proxy statement, when it
becomes available, and other documents filed with, or furnished to, the SEC by
Amtran may also be obtained for free by directing a request to Mr. Kenneth K.
Wolff at (317) 247-4000.

In connection with the shareholder vote on the merger, Amtran and its
directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the
solicitation of proxies from the security holders of Amtran in favor of the
merger. Information concerning such participants in the solicitation of
proxies by Amtran from shareholders in connection with the merger is contained
in the press release filed with the SEC under cover of Schedule 14A by Amtran
on May 17, 2001. Security holders of Amtran may obtain additional information
regarding the interests of such participants by reading the definitive proxy
statement, when it becomes available.

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.