AirTran is pulling out of Bloomington, IL June 3rd!

[NancyIL]

For all the central IL passengers who like to fly to Orlando on AirTran from Bloomington - AirTran will no longer serve that airport effective June 3, 2012. http://www.pjstar.com/business/x574921689/AirTran-leaving-Bloomington-airport I have also flown on Delta and American from BMI, but I think it was AirTran's presence that kept fares lower on those airlines, too.

 

[ispeakdisney]

I saw this last weekend also. My family always use Airtran out of BMI it was perfect for us! I am going to investigate Direct Air out of Springfield, Il to see if that would also work for us.

 

[Traveliz]

I wondered when someone would post this - I heard about it Friday night and have been in mourning since. I am almost positive it is because Southwest doesn't want to move on in there...otherwise I believe the announcement would have been simultaneous.

Moline/Quad Cities only has one Orlando flight a day (Airtran) and nothing to ATL anymore.

Airtran/Southwest is pretty much out of IL after the transfer with the exception of Chicago....and for those that aren't familiar with the state...Chicago is at the top and there are a whole lot of rest of us South of I-80.

I am not sure what I am going to do.

Liz

 

[Traveliz]

I saw this last weekend also. My family always use Airtran out of BMI it was perfect for us! I am going to investigate Direct Air out of Springfield, Il to see if that would also work for us.

Direct Air has very few flights and if they don't fill up they cancel them. They have no arrangements with alternative carriers(from what I am reading) and some people have been stuck in Orlando due to a flight cancellation with them and another one not headed out for 2-3 days.

Plus the very limited (expensive) transportation options from Lakeland negate any savings.

Liz

 

[NancyIL]

I live in Champaign and could fly on American - but I loved AirTran's non-stop and lower prices from BMI. I imagine AirTran will still serve Indianapolis, but by the time I drive 2 hours each way and park there @ ~ $9/day - it isn't a savings unless several of us are flying. (I usually go to WDW solo.) As long as BMI offers free parking, I may continue to fly from there on Delta or American.

 

[lvdis]

Oh no, I really hate to hear this. We usually always fly out of Bloomington and use Airtran to get to Florida. We used Direct Air out of Springfield this past July because we got a really good deal and we were going to the Tampa area. We were very happy with their flights, so we scheduled again with Direct Air for this coming January to go to US/IOA and Disney and they were offering 1/2 off fares that I couldn't pass up.

Unfortunately I just found out over the weekend that our return flight has been canceled. They didn't let me know, I just happened to be checking flights on their website and noticed the Saturday flight wasn't there. I called and they said it had been canceled and I could either get a full refund or reschedule the return flight for either a day early(Friday) or 2 days later(Monday). They are now only flying on Fridays and Mondays. I still haven't decided what to do. If I get a refund and reschedule with another airline it is almost double the cost right now. I don't mind the option of flying home 2 days later on a Monday because the kids and I already have that Monday off (MLK day), but I'm not sure I can trust the flights to still be offered, now that they've canceled one.

We just aren't going to have very good options in this area now.

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

Yep. I am learning to embrace Delta since AirTran is pulling out of Moline, IL. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

 

[Traveliz]

Yep. I am learning to embrace Delta since AirTran is pulling out of Moline, IL. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

Is Airtran completely leaving Moline? Or is Southwest "filling in?"

I don't like Delta because (here anyway) you don't use jetways to get on the planes...have to walk outside and up the steps. I find that annoying.

Liz

 

[GCM]

I started mourning as well when I heard they were pulling out of Knoxville, TN. We flew US Air one time before Airtran, but were VERY disappointed overall in US Air because of delays. We could have driven home faster than our return flight with all the delays and we are talking beautiful September weather. The delay for our DW arrival day the plane arrived on time and we sat and watched the plane outside the airport window for almost 3 hours. I don't know what we'll do now ....so sad

 

[Kimberlyfamilyfv]

air choice one is out of decatur. It has stops at STL and ORD. It costs about 35 dollars per leg ( it is cheaper for senior flyers). In STL it is in the same terminal as Southwest. This is my new choice for traveling as this is cheaper for us rather than paying for gas and parking at the airport.

www.airchoiceone.com

 

[DebbieB]

For all the central IL passengers who like to fly to Orlando on AirTran from Bloomington - AirTran will no longer serve that airport effective June 3, 2012. http://www.pjstar.com/business/x574921689/AirTran-leaving-Bloomington-airport I have also flown on Delta and American from BMI, but I think it was AirTran's presence that kept fares lower on those airlines, too.

According to that article, other cities are also affected:

"It's not just CIRA that will feel the impact of the carrier's departure. AirTran also will stop operations at Knoxville, Tenn.'s McGhee Tyson Airport, Miami International Airport, Charleston, W.Va.'s Yeager Airport and Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C. Southwest operations at Dulles will continue unaffected."

 

[NancyIL]

According to that article, other cities are also affected:

"It's not just CIRA that will feel the impact of the carrier's departure. AirTran also will stop operations at Knoxville, Tenn.'s McGhee Tyson Airport, Miami International Airport, Charleston, W.Va.'s Yeager Airport and Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C. Southwest operations at Dulles will continue unaffected."

I know, but I don't fly out of the other affected airports. Those are also larger cities with more airline options than Bloomington. I know a number of people who post here are from central IL and fly out of BMI.

 

[DebbieB]

I know, but I don't fly out of the other affected airports. Those are also larger cities with more airline options than Bloomington. I know a number of people who post here are from central IL and fly out of BMI.

I just mentioned it in case someone from one of those cities read this post and didn't know. I'll post a separate thread, I found an announcement on their website.

 

[dvcssr21]

I really hated to hear this, it was so easy and cheap. From Peoria were looking at Midway or St Louis. GRR! These planes are being shifted to more profitable routes to Mexico. Cannot believe that between PIA and BMI there are no flights to Orlando.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Vision Airlines begins nonstop service on December 19th from Champaign-Urbana (CMI) to Punta Gorda (PGD), about 3 hours from Disney World.

BobK/Orlando

 

[NancyIL]

I really hated to hear this, it was so easy and cheap. From Peoria were looking at Midway or St Louis. GRR! These planes are being shifted to more profitable routes to Mexico. Cannot believe that between PIA and BMI there are no flights to Orlando.

There are flights to Orlando on major carriers from Bloomington - just not non-stop flights. I don't mind connecting on Delta or American if the price is right.

 

[Traveliz]

There are flights to Orlando on major carriers from Bloomington - just not non-stop flights. I don't mind connecting on Delta or American if the price is right.

You are nicer than me - I want Airtran back for good.

Liz

 

[aubriee]

You are nicer than me - I want Airtran back for good.

Liz

Air Tran's last flight out of Dallas is Nov 21st. We want them back too. They were the only thing keeping American's prices down. Now without the competition, American can charge whatever they want. I usually pay $148.00-$200.00 r/t, (and never over $220.00), but with Air Tran pulling out of DFW Nov 21st, the cheapest I could find for my Nov 26th flight was $277.00 and that was only after American put their flights on sale a few months ago. Up until then (and since then) that same flight had been over $400.00. Southwest flies out of Dallas Lovefield, but their prices are even higher and they don't have direct/nonstop flights like American does. If you want a nonstop flight out of Dallas now, you have no choice except American. I need airfare for my upcoming May WDW trip, but refuse to pay $460.00, which is what the fares have been running on American, Delta, and Southwest. Dallas really needs Air Tran back, in order to bring the fares back in line. We're paying more than twice what we were just a few months ago--my Sept airfare on Air Tran was $148.00 r/t and last May's was $188.00 r/t.

 

[wed100105]

I'm so upset. We fly Airtran to Orlando nonstop. With two little ones and free baggage for military, it was the way we liked to travel. Now we're going to have to either drive to St. Louis or Indianapolis I think to take nonstop Airtran. It was a double-whammy that they left both Quad Cities/Moline and BMI.

What are others doing out of the Peoria, IL area for nonstop? Anything? I hate to go Allegiant to Tampa because we were hoping for Magical Express.

 

[Traveliz]

I'm so upset. We fly Airtran to Orlando nonstop. With two little ones and free baggage for military, it was the way we liked to travel. Now we're going to have to either drive to St. Louis or Indianapolis I think to take nonstop Airtran. It was a double-whammy that they left both Quad Cities/Moline and BMI.

What are others doing out of the Peoria, IL area for nonstop? Anything? I hate to go Allegiant to Tampa because we were hoping for Magical Express.

Well I am not doing anything until after June 3rd and then I guess I will reevaluate my options. Will probably ending up piecing flights together and not doing nonstop. I just don't think the drive to St Louis or Chicago and paying for parking for that amount of time is worth...but then its just me and my husband and we are not towing kids along.

Are you on the Peoria side of the river or the other side?

Liz