airtran future?

[EMBATP]

ok all you tranny guys out there...what do you see coming up in the not so distant future for the tranny....with the "dreaded merger " no longer a possibility, a possible regime change in the union, the 15 more 737s we ordered, what will happen to midwest etc....

lets here it.....

 

[180ToTheMarker]

8 gates at the new terminal in IND. There's your midwest hub.

 

[EMBATP]

ok

ok probably but the terminal will not be built for a while yet..

you guys think the doj will require northwest/midwest to give up some mke gates due to their arragement...controlling 70% of the market share doesnt seem too fair....

 

[Eagle757shark]

8 gates at the new terminal in IND. There's your midwest hub.

8 gates does not equate to a midwest hub. AirTran has that many gates in Baltimore. Northwest has a considerable presence in Indy. I don't think AirTran has the stomach to go up against Northwest again. Could be wrong, but considering the thumping AirTran just took from Northwest outbidding AirTran for Midwest they may just look further west for opportunities. Not sure what the outcome will be. However, I imagine AirTran will have to inform Boeing on their intent for those 737 orders for 2008 real soon.

 

[SkiFishFly]

I strongly suspect there was always an alternative to Midwest. NWA just spent a lot of dough to keep us from growing much in MKE. I think we will probably continue to take deliveries - it will be interesting to see the alternative unfold. I think we will probably be maxxing out our usage of the gates we have in MKE.
As far as going head to head with NWA in Indy or anywhere else - I think we are doing just fine. We are making money on these routes while NWA is probably losing money where they are trying to compete with us.

 

[CitationLover]

you guys think the doj will require northwest/midwest to give up some mke gates due to their arragement...controlling 70% of the market share doesnt seem too fair....

how much of the market share does AMR control at DFW? it was 70% in 2000 with a delta hub there, now no delta hub so imagine its perhaps 80+%.

the politics of the nwa deal favor approval (sen. kohl and oberstar spearheading).

there are those still hoping for airtran coming in for a final final final bid, but i see now the midwest stuff has been removed from airtran.com.

 

[EMBATP]

not the same thing...delta left...there was no merger or code share involved

 

[jetdawg]

I say hello to the humphrey terminal in MSP. Who knows maybe suncountry w/ those 737-800's may come into play.

 

[maxblast72]

I think the fact that Northwest payed so much for Midwest validates the strength of the future Airtran business plan. The knew they had do whatever it takes to keep us out of there (even if it meant overpaying). Same reason why Southwest outbid us for the Midway gates (to keep us out). I think it is better to be part of an growing airline that everyone fears than an airline that the others airlines could give a crap less about.

 

[75M]

I don't think AirTran has the stomach to go up against Northwest again. Could be wrong, but considering the thumping AirTran just took from Northwest outbidding AirTran for Midwest they may just look further west for opportunities.

Just because NWA outbid AAI for MEH, doesn't mean that they can "thump" us on an opreratinal basis. AAI 717s versus NWA DC-9s on the same routes from IND will probably do very well. Oh, and the 737s, even better.