AirTran, New Routes

[FLB717]

News Release

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AirTran Airways Adds Nonstop Service to Florida and Bahamas Routes

Additional Flights Starting this Fall from Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth, Rochester, Philadelphia, Dayton and Flint to Name a Few ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AirTran Airways, asubsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI), today announced that theairline will be adding new daily nonstop flights this fall between several ofthe cities it serves and popular vacation destinations such as Miami, Tampa,Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Grand Bahama Island. "We are pleased to offer these additional frequencies for our customers,"said Kevin Healy, AirTran Airways' vice president of planning and sales."This increase in service gives consumers more flexibility and conveniencewhen planning travel, as well as more options for affordable fares on popularroutes." With these additional flights the airline will significantly increase itsFlorida service going from 72 daily departures to the Florida cities served inAugust 2004 to 88 daily departures by January 2005. The following are the newroutes with effective dates:

New daily nonstop service effective November 4, 2004: Atlanta to Grand Bahama Island Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 37 3:15 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Grand Bahama Island to Atlanta Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 38 6:00 p.m. 7:45 p.m.

Atlanta to Miami Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 504 4:40 p.m. 6:40 p.m. 504 5:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Miami to Atlanta Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 506 7:20 p.m. 9:25 p.m. 506 8:10 p.m. 10:15 p.m.

Bloomington/Normal to Orlando Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 147 2:10 p.m. 5:31 p.m. 147 3:50 p.m. 7:11 p.m. Orlando to Bloomington/Normal Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 148 12:00 p.m. 1:35 p.m. 148 1:40 p.m. 3:15 p.m.

Baltimore/Washington (BWI) to Fort Myers Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 451 7:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 451 7:05 a.m. 9:35 a.m. Fort Myers to Baltimore/Washington (BWI) Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 474 4:22 p.m. 6:52 p.m.

Fort Lauderdale to Rochester Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 590 10:52 a.m. 1:42 p.m. Rochester to Fort Lauderdale Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 591 8:49 a.m. 11:39 a.m.

Orlando to Milwaukee Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 672 10:01 a.m. 11:51 a.m. Milwaukee to Orlando Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 671 12:30 p.m. 4:10 p.m.

Orlando to Pittsburgh Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 388 6:52 p.m. 9:07 p.m. Pittsburgh to Orlando Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 387 7:35 a.m. 9:50 a.m.

Rochester to Tampa Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 586 7:25 a.m. 9:55 a.m. Tampa to Rochester Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 589 7:20 p.m. 9:50 p.m. New daily nonstop service effective November 6, 2004: Fort

Lauderdale to Flint Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 252 2:43 p.m. 5:50 p.m. Flint to Fort Lauderdale Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 253 11:00 a.m. 2:08 p.m. New daily nonstop service effective November 20, 2004:

Milwaukee to Fort Myers Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 609 11:26 a.m. 3:21 p.m. Fort Myers to Milwaukee Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 610 4:00 p.m. 5:55 p.m. New daily nonstop service effective December 7, 2004:

Dallas/Fort Worth to Fort Lauderdale Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 760 5:10 p.m. 8:55 p.m. Fort Lauderdale to Dallas/Fort Worth Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 759 2:35 p.m. 4:30 p.m.

West Palm Beach to Philadelphia Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 752 4:35 p.m. 7:20 p.m. Philadelphia to West Palm Beach Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 751 1:20 p.m. 3:55 p.m.

Philadelphia to Fort Myers Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 753 12:30 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Fort Myers to Philadelphia Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 750 10:10 a.m. 12:40 p.m.

New daily nonstop service effective December 17, 2004:
Dayton to Tampa Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 266 6:35 p.m. 8:50 p.m. Tampa to Dayton Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 265 3:40 p.m. 5:55 p.m.

Flint to Tampa Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 264 12:20 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Tampa to Flint Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 263 9:00 a.m. 11:40 a.m.

New daily nonstop service effective January 10, 2005: Dayton to Fort Lauderdale Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 707 10:09 a.m. 12:34 p.m. Fort Lauderdale to Dayton Nonstop Service Flight Departs Arrives 702 1:14 p.m. 3:39 p.m.

AirTran Airways is one of America's largest low-fare airlines -- employing
more than 5,800 friendly, professional Crew Members and operating over 500
flights a day to 45 destinations. The airline's hub is at Hartsfield-Jackson
Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest airport by passenger
volume, where it is the second largest carrier. AirTran Airways, a subsidiary
of AirTran Holdings (NYSE: AAI), is the world's largest operator of the Boeing
717 and has America's youngest all-Boeing fleet. The airline recently added
the Boeing 737-700 aircraft, one of the most fuel efficient and
environmentally friendly aircraft flying today, to its fleet. For
reservations or more information, visit http://www.airtran.com (America Online
Keyword: AirTran).

 

[BLUE BAYOU]

I guess we'll start going head to head again once we get the EMB-190s; Rochester, NY to FL... Since you can do it in a 117 seat plane, I'm sure JBLU will be able to fill 100 seats. Good reorganization of assets for the winter, closing some markets, opening others...

 

[Ty Webb]

Maybe yes, maybe no. Do you want to fight, or do you want to make money?

Most LCC's have figured out that it is a great big country, and picking city pairs served by LCC's already is not the best use of assets.

JB didn't pull out of ATL because of DAL. They pulled out because, with AirTran on the same routes, it wasn't going to be a good use of assets. No matter what Delta did, there would still be AirTran to contend with for the most price-sensitive customers.

 

[NEDude]

Any talk of AirTran starting service into new cities? Particularly in the northeast, such as ALB, BDL or MHT?

 

[DonVerita]

Why fight against each other? Nobody wins that one. Instead, the focus should be on what to do about Southwest. They just picked up their 400th 737.

Perhaps, just maybe, with the moons lined up in the proper order...a merger between AirTran and JetBlue would create a force that could go head to head with WN. Combine the best of both companies. I know, I know...4 different aircraft types from 3 different manufacturers. Maybe if JBlu would drop the EMB order and get 717's instead and configure their A320's with Business Class, it would be even more viable.

Things that make you go...."hmmmm?"

 

[FarginDooshbahg]

Things that make you go...."hmmmm?"

No. Things that make me go..."No fargin way". Not gonna happen. I have more chance of turning into surplus1 than this "merger" you propose does of actually happening.

The fact is that all three of these companies...SWA, JetBlue and Air Tran, will do just fine and prosper. No need to muck it up with such nonsense as a merger.

 

[DonVerita]

No. Things that make me go..."No fargin way". Not gonna happen. I have more chance of turning into surplus1 than this "merger" you propose does of actually happening.

The fact is that all three of these companies...SWA, JetBlue and Air Tran, will do just fine and prosper. No need to muck it up with such nonsense as a merger.

Hey DipSh1t,

It was just a thought for discussion. Take your 5th grade banter somewhere else.

 

[catIIIc]

I don't know if the article stated this but Airtran is starting Saturday only ICT-MCO in November. This compliments the 3x a day flights to ATL.

 

[FL717]

Any talk of AirTran starting service into new cities? Particularly in the northeast, such as ALB, BDL or MHT?

Joe Leonard said last week that no new cities the remainder of this year and I believe only a couple (2) new cities next year. I believe thay really want to focus on filling in the blanks on existing cities, and start "new" service between existing markets.

My guess will be that only high capacity, high priced "cherry" markets that connect well within major markets in our network, and push westward, will get the consideration. My guess is that ALB, BDL, MHT meet not that standard, but who knows for sure.