Southwest is aquiring Airtran Airways

[NancyIL]

Also - no assigned seats.

(I can't edit my previous post because of the stupid "503 Service Unavailable" message I keep getting!)

 

[reeveha]

I think this is very interesting because SW was in talks with Wichita about bringing service into town but they decided not to come. Airtran has been in Wichita for over 7 years. We got them here by guaranteeing them any route losses for having 5 flights out / day. So far they've gotten the subsidy every year they've been here (almost 1 Mil/year) Before Airtran, AA, UA, US Air, Delta were charging 400+ each way for flights. Now we see 200-300 round trip. Hope that SW continues low cost fares as well as opening low cost travel west without going through Atlanta.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I'm going to miss Airtran. I've never had any problems with them.

I prefer business class and picking my own seat.

The getting assigned seats is particularly important when i travel with DD10 who is afraid to sit near people she doesn't know. I keep hoping she'll outgrow it but she hasn't so far.

The cattle call boarding SW uses doesn't excite me at all. It would just add stress to the boarding process for me.

At least I have a little bit of time to enjoy Airtran before it changes to SW.

 

[bostontim]

We so prefer AirTran - cheap business class, ability to choose seats, easy to earn upgrades and/or free companion fares.
Dislike.

Exactly, business/first class doesn't fit in to Southwest's model, so likely it will go away.

 

[simonkodousek]

I'll be so sad if Airtran gets rid of business class. It's very affordable, and good for us larger flyers...

 

[Dr. David Q. Dawson]

This is great news. We can still use the great Flint - Orlando Air Tran nonstop route, and not have to pay for bag fees anymore.

 

[Friendly Frog]

IMO, anytime competition goes away, it is not a good thing in the long term.

I really liked Airtran and would choose them over American, even when the prices were the same.

I am a big fan of choosing your seat for a fee. Most of the time I did not pay, but still got a great seat. Sometimes I would choose to pay for a seat. I really like the ability to make the decision based on my personal needs at the time.

 

[Dodie]

For those airports which already have both (and competition will essentially be going away, driving costs up and limiting the number of flights), I wish Jet Blue would expand our direction.

 

[NancyIL]

This is great news. We can still use the great Flint - Orlando Air Tran nonstop route, and not have to pay for bag fees anymore.

Southwest's higher fares will make up for the "free" checked bags.

 

[Chelley00]

Wow! Big news Tracy if it's true. Probably won't help the Indy market since Southwest and Airtran are/were the 2 low cost carriers at the airport.

I saw this today on WTHR (local Indianapolis news)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39385055/ns/local_news-indianapolis_in/

Southwest-AirTran merger means higher Indy fares

Indianapolis - If you fly from Indianapolis to Florida, get ready to pay more for airline tickets. One expert says that's one of the downsides of a proposed $1.42 billion merger between Southwest Airlines and AirTran. Some routes may be eliminated and prices could go up for travelers flying out of Indianapolis.

Two airlines known for their low-cost approach are merging. But according to one economist, a marriage between Southwest and AirTran means higher ticket prices, especially if you fly to Florida.

"What you're going to see are these $59, $69 ticket prices disappearing because right now you're seeing them competing against each other for your business," said Matt Will, an economics professor at the University of Indianapolis.

Airport officials say if the merger happens, the combined airline would represent one third of this market, making it the largest airline serving Indianapolis.

 

[jeanigor]

Southwest's higher fares will make up for the "free" checked bags.

It has been my experience that flying out of DTW Southwest had lower fares before any baggage fees.

 

[OrangeCat04]

We love flying Southwest. I don't know what implications this will have. I hope that Southwest fares do not increase.

 

[pal-mickey]

I'm hoping this will be good for us flying out of leigh valley, I like sw but don't enjoy the 2+ hr drive to philly.

 

[SamSam]

I'm hopeful this will be a positive for us. We drive 3 hours to fly Southwest out of Kansas City, Airtran flys out of Wichita (1 hr 15 minutes) but their prices and flight times haven't made the drive time saved worth it.

 

[shmedly123]

Don't like it...like anything else the more competition the better for consumers. In the northeast we pretty much have Southwest, Jetblue and Airtran as our three competing low cost carriers...now there are two.

 

[TheBeadPirate]

I'm wondering what's heading down the pike with this also.... I know Southwest will take this opportunity to revamp their frequent flyer program- they've been saying they were going to for a couple years now. Just wondering if this will be my last go-round with my Companion pass so I fly free with Rick.... It's a shame if it is because I've burned up the ones I've had in the past with the miles we've logged!