MDW here comes Airtran

[jetdawg]

AirTran Airways Expands Network in Key Business Markets of Chicago, Boston and Minneapolis/St. Paul
Monday October 17, 1:09 pm ET
Daily Nonstop Flights From Chicago-Midway to Two New Cities to Begin December 6

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI - News), today announced the airline will expand its network in key business markets with new daily nonstop flights from Chicago Midway Airport to Boston Logan International Airport and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, beginning December 6, 2005.

The new service will include four daily nonstop flights between Chicago (Midway) and Minneapolis/St. Paul, as well as three daily nonstop flights between Chicago (Midway) and Boston. All new flights will be served by the airline's popular Boeing 717 aircraft.

"AirTran Airways continues to pursue opportunities to expand our network in key business markets across the country," said Kevin Healy, AirTran Airways vice president of planning. "This new service connects these popular markets with convenient schedules designed to meet the needs of the business traveler and fare structures that will stimulate leisure demand as well. Our product combines key business attributes -- new Boeing aircraft, assigned seating, large overhead bins and business class -- with low fares that never require roundtrip purchase or a Saturday night stay which all of our customers appreciate."

AirTran Airways will offer the following daily nonstop flight options to/from Chicago (Midway) effective December 6, 2005:

Nonstop Service from Chicago (Midway)

To Flight Departs Arrives Frequency
Atlanta 427 5:35 a.m. 8:21 a.m. Daily
Atlanta 821 9:30 a.m. 12:15 p.m. Daily
Atlanta 825 10:41 a.m. 1:32 p.m. Daily
Atlanta 23 12:42 p.m. 3:31 p.m. Daily
Atlanta 819 3:27 p.m. 6:20 p.m. Daily
Atlanta 25 4:33 p.m. 7:29 p.m. Daily

Nonstop Service from Chicago (Midway) (Continued)

To Flight Departs Arrives Frequency
Atlanta 831 5:28 p.m. 8:22 p.m. Daily
Atlanta 31 7:35 p.m. 10:24 p.m. Daily
Boston 872 8:35 a.m. 11:50 a.m. Daily
Boston 876 1:10 p.m. 4:25 p.m. Daily
Boston 874 6:50 p.m. 105 p.m. Daily
Minneapolis/St. Paul 875 95 a.m. 10:30 a.m. Daily
Minneapolis/St. Paul 873 2:30 p.m. 40 p.m. Daily
Minneapolis/St. Paul 878 4:30 p.m. 60 p.m. Daily
Minneapolis/St. Paul 877 75 p.m. 8:25 p.m. Daily
Orlando 829 7:45 a.m. 11:16 a.m. Daily
Orlando 837 1:42 p.m. 5:12 p.m. Daily
Sarasota/Bradenton 846 2:42 p.m. 6:15 p.m. Daily

Nonstop Service to Chicago (Midway)

From Flight Departs Arrives Frequency
Atlanta 20 85 a.m. 8:55 a.m. Daily
Atlanta 22 9:10 a.m. 106 a.m. Daily
Atlanta 824 11:10 a.m. 122 p.m. Daily
Atlanta 24 1:59 p.m. 2:52 p.m. Daily
Atlanta 26 30 p.m. 3:52 p.m. Daily
Atlanta 830 45 p.m. 4:53 p.m. Daily
Atlanta 28 65 p.m. 70 p.m. Daily
Atlanta 30 10:59 p.m. 11:49 p.m. Daily
Boston 875 70 a.m. 8:30 a.m. Daily
Boston 873 12:25 p.m. 1:55 p.m. Daily
Boston 877 50 p.m. 6:30 p.m. Daily
Minneapolis/St. Paul 872 6:20 a.m. 80 a.m. Daily
Minneapolis/St. Paul 876 115 a.m. 12:35 p.m. Daily
Minneapolis/St. Paul 874 4:35 p.m. 6:15 p.m. Daily
Minneapolis/St. Paul 879 7:30 p.m. 9:10 p.m. Daily
Orlando 838 12:20 p.m. 22 p.m. Daily
Orlando 836 27 p.m. 3:53 p.m. Daily
Sarasota/Bradenton 842 11:25 a.m. 12 p.m. Daily

Listed below are sample one-way fares (fares are valid in either direction) to/from Chicago (Midway):

Destination Lowest Lowest Business
Coach Class Class
Boston $109 $299
Minneapolis /St. Paul $89 $249

AirTran Airways, one of America's largest low-fare airlines with 6,700 friendly, professional Crew Members, operates over 500 daily flights to 49 destinations. The airline's hub is at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where it is the second largest carrier. AirTran Airways recently added the fuel-efficient Boeing 737-700 aircraft to create America's youngest all-Boeing fleet. The airline is also the first carrier to install XM Satellite Radio on a commercial aircraft. For reservations or more information, visit http://airtran.com (America Online Keyword: AirTran).

 

[HalinTexas]

Yep, they see it coming.

Good luck.

 

[SWA/FO]

We will have an answer for that shortly... mark my words.

 

[crosscut]

We will have an answer for that shortly... mark my words.

An answer for what? You serve neither MSP nor BOS.

 

[jackel]

Youve Had An Answer For Everything Weve Done And Yet Were Still Here We Dont Care What You Do Mark My Words

 

[On Your Six]

An answer for what? You serve neither MSP nor BOS.

Watch out for a flood of ATA 737-300s into MSP and BOS....

 

[crosscut]

Watch out for a flood of ATA 737-300s into MSP and BOS....

Huh?! Why would they "flood" both MSP & BOS when they just announced they're pulling out of both markets? It's either one or the other and we already know it's not the former. Read the article.



ATA to cut 3 routes, lay off 100
Expansion plans for 2 Florida cities also eliminated

By Mark Skertic
Tribune staff reporter
Published October 14, 2005


ATA Airlines said Thursday that it will eliminate a planned Florida expansion, lay off 100 employees and drop service from Chicago to three cities.

"These scheduling changes will improve ATA's cash flow and put the company on better footing to attract an investment and emerge from Chapter 11," Sean Frick, vice president and chief restructuring officer, said in a statement.

The Indianapolis-based airline, going through a reorganization while under federal bankruptcy court protection, said it plans to keep operating from its eight gates at Midway Airport.

"We continue to have a strong presence at Chicago-Midway, and our gate numbers will remain the same," airline spokeswoman Michelle Foley said. "However, our use of them will become more efficient from a day-to-day operations standpoint."

ATA will drop service to Boston on Oct. 28; to Newark, N.J., on Oct. 29; and to Minneapolis-St. Paul on Dec. 1. Plans for Miami and Sarasota, Fla., service were scrapped.

The airline will drop to 103 daily flights from 118. After the change, ATA will serve 18 cities directly, although it can reach 65 in all through a passenger-sharing arrangement with Southwest Airlines.

ATA's parent, ATA Holdings Corp., entered bankruptcy in October 2004. It recently reached a deal to repay creditors using $130 million from investors, including Southwest Airlines.

There is little or no competition for direct flights from Midway to the cities ATA is abandoning. Still, they likely were money-losing routes that ATA did not believe it could fly if it hopes to make a profit in the future, said airline analyst John Pincavage.

"Fuel is expensive," he said. "You have to think long and hard about keeping an airline in a market if you don't feel you can raise prices, and you have an inability to stimulate demand," he said.

Record fuel prices have prompted several airlines to suspend some service. Northwest Airlines, which sought bankruptcy protection last month, is reducing service on some European routes. American Eagle, a regional affiliate of American Airlines' parent AMR Corp, canceled 558 flights this month, about 22 a day, to cut fuel spending.

Analyst Ray Neidl of Calyon Securities said ATA, which has been through several downsizings over the past year, is being marginalized.

"Their chances of success are limited," Neidl said. "I've said before I won't be surprised if they don't make it."

ATA said it is contacting customers affected by its service-reduction plans and will help those whose travel is booked through Jan. 9 make alternative plans on other airlines. Those who purchased tickets for use after Jan. 9 are eligible for refunds, ATA said.

 

[crosscut]

P.s.

BTW, here is the link:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0510140206oct14,1,7608761.story

 

[SWA/FO]

Maybe that was a HINT that soon we will be announcing service to BOS and/or MSP. DO I have to spell it out for you? Thus, when I type we will have an answer that might have been what I was talking about. Or how about going into ATL....for an answer for ya. Southwest is watching AirTran......

 

[crosscut]

Maybe that was a HINT that soon we will be announcing service to BOS and/or MSP. DO I have to spell it out for you? Thus, when I type we will have an answer that might have been what I was talking about. Or how about going into ATL....for an answer for ya. Southwest is watching AirTran......

Oh, I get it. First you jump off the cliff, then you build wings on the way down. Otherwise, why the insecurity of being vague? "Mark my words" by itself doesn't amount to anything: ATL doesn't have any gates; neither does MSP; not sure about BOS, although I'm certain you already knew that. But even if there were room, going into BOS, ATL, & MSP out spitefulness would have been no small price to pay. Really, what’s your logic? Because w/your last, you don't seem to show any. Otherwise, please "spell it out."