AirTran Airways Reports All-Time Record February Traffic

[RIDETHELIGHTING]

AirTran Airways Reports All-Time Record February Traffic
Thursday March 6, 1:46 pm ET

ORLANDO, Fla., March 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI - News), today reported record traffic for the month of February 2008. The airline reported that revenue passenger miles (RPMs), available seat miles (ASMs), enplaned passengers, and load factor represent new all-time company records for the month of February.
For February, traffic grew by 28.2 percent to more than 1.4 billion RPMs based on a 14.0 percent increase in capacity. The company's load factor for the month was 78.1 percent. The airline enplaned more than 1.8 million passengers for the month, a 21.9 percent increase from February 2007.
"The numbers we posted for February traffic in 2008 are stellar, and the credit goes to all of our hard-working Crew Members and the high-quality service they provide for our customers," said Bob Fornaro, president and CEO for AirTran Airways. "We continue to deliver great results for our customers and investors."
In the month of February, AirTran Airways announced the addition of two new destinations to its route map: Burlington, Vt., and San Antonio, Texas.

 

[TV9Driver]

and for all your great efforts, we would like you to take a pay cut.... just paraphrasing Bob F.'s letter to the crew I saw in the crew room today.

 

[RIDETHELIGHTING]

The pilot group and our union really need to keep our eye the ball. Record Load factors and the sky is falling, I cant wait to hear the spin on this.

 

[curtis46]

The spin on that one will be:"we had to give up tickets to fill up those seats;beside,those motels inn express rates have increase by 30% as well as those catering snacks providing to you all at no cost.Have some understanding,let's make those tax cut,i mean pay cut, permanent and as team players we are willing to waive the HAT,yes you heard correctly just sign that piece of paper,while Lear is not watching,
Thank you very much,keep up the good work.

 

[refplusnone]

So record high loads.... yet they are getting rid of airframes and slowing growth.

Why release two seemingly contradictory stories?

It can't be all related to the pilot's contract negotiations. What am I missing?

Ref

 

[Citrus531]

and for all your great efforts, we would like you to take a pay cut.... just paraphrasing Bob F.'s letter to the crew I saw in the crew room today.

Yeah i read Bob's letter in the A-line.....In the tower we've been told absolutely no overtime...if you want a unpaid day off take it....and anything else u can think of to save $$$$:erm:

 

[Britpilot]

So record high loads.... yet they are getting rid of airframes and slowing growth.

Why release two seemingly contradictory stories?

It can't be all related to the pilot's contract negotiations. What am I missing?

Ref

The company is not getting rid of airframes. It has sold two delivery airframes. So this year we get 8 instead of 10 new birds. The fleet number will still rise by 8, there is your growth, that and new service cities. Predicted growth for the next two years is 5%. Which in this environment is not too bad.

 

[easydoesit]

We are getting 6 this year.

 

[Max Powers]

And I am guessing those deferments in 09 and 10, some at least, will be turned into aircraft sold.

 

[TV9Driver]

yeah, we are down to 6 planes for this year, and I guess 8 for next year for a total of 14 - it was supposed to be 28 airplanes by the end of next year.

Remember when our old union reps where saying, "don't worry about FO pay rates, you'll be a captain in 3 years!"

I'm 3 years now, and still nowhere near the left seat....

 

[Eagle757shark]

So record high loads.... yet they are getting rid of airframes and slowing growth.

Why release two seemingly contradictory stories?

It can't be all related to the pilot's contract negotiations. What am I missing?

Ref

Hmmm.....preperations for the next merger coming AirTran's way?

 

[FlyFastLiveSlow]

Hmmm.....preperations for the next merger coming AirTran's way?

We need room for the SunCountry -800's.

 

[TV9Driver]

did you all notice on the last TA that 737-800 pay was the same as the 700 and the 717. YET, they wanted us to take lower pay rates for the 190....

hhmmmm...

 

[SkiFishFly]

did you all notice on the last TA that 737-800 pay was the same as the 700 and the 717. YET, they wanted us to take lower pay rates for the 190....

hhmmmm...

My response to that was - you want the 190 (small jet) to pay XX less than the current 717/737 rate. We will agree to that as long as the 737 now pays XX more than the current 717 rate...

I often wonder if our union reps/negotiators at that time were smart enough to counter with the above...

 

[PCL_128]

I wouldn't agree to that. Anything under the current rates is unacceptable for the -190s. They'll be used as a 717 replacement, so we can't give them any ground on that. The -190 is an SNB. Period.

 

[DCitrus9]

I agree the 190 type pay rates need to be more in line with the 717, but I think the bigger issue is the scope. Don't let the cat out of the bag: whatever plane they feel will make us money, it must be AirTran pilots. That is whether it is a Cessna 402 or a 777.

 

[MTV]

We need room for the SunCountry -800's.

The Sun Country 800s come with pilots.

 

[PCL_128]

I agree the 190 type pay rates need to be more in line with the 717, but I think the bigger issue is the scope. Don't let the cat out of the bag: whatever plane they feel will make us money, it must be AirTran pilots. That is whether it is a Cessna 402 or a 777.

Agree 100%. My biggest issue in voting NO was scope.

 

[RIDETHELIGHTING]

no scope = NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO