Member

Joined: 11 Oct 2006
Posts: 248
Location: Lexington ky

because looking at there map they only fly like 4 cities west of denver

Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

Honestly there is no telling with AirTran. They keep adding destions to Florida cities and odd places in the east. Maybe they have no plans to move west at all. I don't know what their deal is.

Makes me wonder if a merger is in the works the way they have avoided the west. Alaska Air maybe? Just a thought.

Member

Joined: 11 Oct 2006
Posts: 248
Location: Lexington ky

that is a good idea or just a codeshare or even jetblue

Site Admin

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 949
Location: Carmel, IN

I've thought for a long time that Airtran and Frotier would make a nice fit for either a merger or a tight codeshare. Their routes really complement one another, without a lot of overlap.

Member

Joined: 11 Oct 2006
Posts: 248
Location: Lexington ky

that would make sense

Member

Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 333
Location: St. Louis, MO

AirTran is running a majority of their flights north and south. That is where the money is for them. A large number of western destinations and frequencies there probably wouldn't work for them. Destinations out there will undoubtedly be added probably very slowly with mininal frequencies...basically to serve what demand their loyal customer base needs for going to these cities. But as of right now, it is obvious their market base is where their current route network is.


AirTran and Frontier mash like oil and vinegar.

1. Fleet issue speaks for itself.

2. Frontier has had a period of slow expansion and a number of cities served from its main hub with small number of frequencies. AirTran has had a recent strong period of expansion and does a lot of work from focus markets.

3. Frontier is dabbling in express carrier. AirTran is not.

4. Number of cities in the route network are indifferent. Connecting a great deal of them with the Frontier cities to the AirTran focus cities would rquire a great investment in either 737 aircraft or the Airbus A320/A321 aircraft.

Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

AirTran doesn't have a regional fleet.. YET. They have something planned. Why do they dump those 737 orders? I suspect they will try and get some kind of E Jet order. It would make sense to use the E Jet to serve markets not quite big enough to support the 717's which would free up more of those jets to serve routes where the 737 is a bit too large. Leaving of course more 737's for prime routes. Not using the regional service as a feeder but treat it like mainline.

Member

Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 333
Location: St. Louis, MO

I don't believe there is a hidden agenda. AirTran doesnt have the network nor the need to concentrate on anything regional any time soon.

Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

Then why would they pass on those 737's? Where are they going to get the jets to expand over the years?

Member

Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 333
Location: St. Louis, MO

Because there is no need to expand into a outlandish network. Let the other airlines do that, or attempt it, and put yourself in a good position to pick up the pieces if something more lucrative becomes available.

Alaska Airlines works just fine with what it has, AirTran is doing the same.

Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

AirTran really needs to look at cutting back on their ATL operations. I know alot of people won't find that popular but their ontime record is really bad. They would do themselves a big favor if they picked another base other than ATL. Let Delta kill themselves with delays. I feel bad that I recommended AirTran to my neighbor because she has had nothing but problems with them. I know when I flew with them the flight I was supposed to take was so late they booked me on another flight which too ended up being over 30 minutes late. When my wife flew AirTran to Florida a year ago her flight was late too.

Member

Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 333
Location: St. Louis, MO

Their Atlanta operation has proved fruitful, no matter the delays, the congestion, or the competition from Delta. I think, in all retrospects, that Delta helps AirTran out...with AirTran providing an "alternative" in these markets and routings. They've got an impressive operation going on down there, that is for sure, and I would think they would be running out of room so any and all expansion that comes from there comes as a pleasant surprise.

The Atlanta airport is never boring, that is for sure. Too bad it is so bland looking.

Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

It is fruitful perhaps in the number of flights. What are the loads out of ATL? And are they making money in ATL? They seem to scrape by month after month. Win some lose some. They are treading water somewhere. Delays and long taxi times can kill you when you are operating on a slim margin. And when you are operating on a slim margin relying on feed to fill your jets isn't going to help. AirTran is I believe the worst among LCCs when it comes to O/D per flight. This maybe the reason they have the poorest profit/loss numbers among LCCs.

Member

Joined: 11 Oct 2006
Posts: 248
Location: Lexington ky

why has atlanta gotten a releif airport yet like in suberbs or even macon

AirTran Reporter

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 341
Location: Indianapolis

how far is Macon from Atlanta?

Member

Joined: 11 Oct 2006
Posts: 248
Location: Lexington ky

like 85 miles but it surprises me they havent built another airport like in the northern or southern suberbs

Member

Joined: 15 May 2006
Posts: 728
Location: West Lafayette, IN

It depends on the location of ATL. I'm not familar with the area, but if ATL is located centrally in Atlanta, than it's hard to locate an airport somewhere else that is far enough from ATL, but still close enough to the city itself.

Member

Joined: 11 Oct 2006
Posts: 248
Location: Lexington ky

its on the west side off of like 185

Member

Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 333
Location: St. Louis, MO

Indy wrote:

It is fruitful perhaps in the number of flights. What are the loads out of ATL? And are they making money in ATL? They seem to scrape by month after month. Win some lose some. They are treading water somewhere. Delays and long taxi times can kill you when you are operating on a slim margin. And when you are operating on a slim margin relying on feed to fill your jets isn't going to help. AirTran is I believe the worst among LCCs when it comes to O/D per flight. This maybe the reason they have the poorest profit/loss numbers among LCCs.

AirTran is not really an LCC. Go ahead and pretend it is all you want to, but they really have gotten out of that and have stepped ahead with becoming a "real" airline.

Their biggest competition, essentially, is Delta, and second to that is US Airways. It doesn't matter if they serve Atlanta, they're after their passengers by offering a more 'pleasurable' experience. That's their thing.

Member

Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 333
Location: St. Louis, MO

7E72004 wrote:

how far is Macon from Atlanta?

Macon / Warner - Robbins is about an half and a half from Atlanta. It's a short flight up there, I did it a few weeks ago. I could have flown on an ATR but I needed to get back to St. Louis early, so I took the first departure out and flew on the CRJ instead. Oh well.

Macon Airport has nothing there. There are four daily flights leaving in the morning and four daily flights coming back in the evening. Most or all of them are ASA flights coming into Macon where they have a maitenance base.
They don't even have a jet bridge.

America West/US Airways contracts maitenance work out of there as well, so it is not uncommon to see a few Airbus or Boeings sitting there, too.