Southwest and AirTran

[mikmin]

Does anyone know when Southwest will be taking on Air Tran?

 

[Rudi610]

It is official that Southwest has now purchased AirTran. However, I believe that it will be several months before they start integrating the schedules together. I don't know the exact timeline.

 

[dioxide45]

Southwest still has to obtain a single operating certificate for Southwest and AirTran to operate as one. Even after they obtain that it will be many months before all AirTran aircraft are converted and flying as Soutwest. It won't be all done until sometime in to 2013.

 

[Nadjalu]

I have a question as well....

Do we know if once they are merged if the option to upgrade on Airtran to first class will still be available for the cheap rates they are now??

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Do we know if once they are merged if the option to upgrade on Airtran to first class will still be available for the cheap rates they are now??

There won't be an AirTran when they merge. SWA will not offer classes of service when they merge, so no first class and continued open seating. This info is available on their websites:

http://www.airtran.com/faq/swa_faq.aspx

Q: Will Southwest adopt assigned seats and different classes of service?

A: There will be no changes to the Customer Experience right away. AirTran offers assigned seats. Southwest does not assign seats. AirTran offers two classes of seating and Southwest has one class of service. Upon full integration, it is our intent to have a consistent product offering with open seating and a single class of service.

 

[lyonking3]

Airtran will no longer exist soon. Southwest has no first class seating. Enjoy it while it lasts

 

[Kimi313]

Airtran came to Huntsiville airport June of last year offering the only direct flight to Orlando so we flew for the first time this May and loved it! Here's hoping that with Southwest buying Airtran they won't close down in Huntsivlle!!

 

[DebbieB]

Airtran came to Huntsiville airport June of last year offering the only direct flight to Orlando so we flew for the first time this May and loved it! Here's hoping that with Southwest buying Airtran they won't close down in Huntsivlle!!

The only airport they said they will no longer be servicing is Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW). All Dallas service will be from Love Field (DAL). They do sometimes eliminate non-stop/direct flights and require you to connect. That has happened at Detroit and Washington Dulles in the past year.

 

[aubriee]

The only airport they said they will no longer be servicing is Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW). All Dallas service will be from Love Field (DAL). They do sometimes eliminate non-stop/direct flights and require you to connect. That has happened at Detroit and Washington Dulles in the past year.

The last Air Tran flight out of DFW is Nov 21, 2011.

Due to the Wright Amendment, Southwest can't fly out of DFW unless they're willing to give up some slots at Lovefield, which they are not willing to do. They also can not fly direct to MCO. So those of us in the Dallas area will be losing our direct/nonstop flights to MCO, the ability to choose our seats, our A+ Rewards points, the ability to choose first class seats, and will not be able to fly out of our favored DFW airport and to top it all off, what we get in exchange for giving all that up is the privilege of paying much higher prices for our fares. Air Tran and American both have always easily beaten Southwest fares.

I need flights for Nov 26th and Dec 4th. It looks like I'll be flying American Airlines from now on.