More Competition in Milwaukee for Midwest

[Eagle757shark]

AirTran adds 5 destinations

Trips to coast cities to take off in May

By THOMAS DAYKIN
[email protected]

Posted: Jan. 28, 2008

AirTran Airways will begin offering non-stop service from Milwaukee to five West Coast and East Coast destinations, with today's announcement coming one week after AirTran announced new service to New York.
AirTran will offer seasonal service from Milwaukee to Los Angeles International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, San Diego's Lindbergh Field Airport and Logan International Airport in Boston.
AirTran also is adding additional flights to its Milwaukee-Las Vegas service.
The flights to Los Angeles, Seattle/Tacoma and San Francisco will begin May 6. The flights to San Diego and Boston will begin May 21.
The year-around service from Milwaukee to New York also begins May 6.
With the new flights, AirTran will provide up to 20 daily departures to 13 non-stop destinations from Milwaukee.
AirTran now offers 10 daily departures to seven destinations.
The new service brings a bigger challenge from AirTran to Midwest Air Group Inc., the dominant carrier at Mitchell International Airport.
AirTran Holdings Inc., the corporate parent of AirTran Airways, failed in its hostile takeover attempt of Midwest Air, which operates Midwest Airlines and Midwest Connect.
"We think the market (in Milwaukee) can be a lot bigger," said Kevin Healy, AirTran vice president of planning and marketing. "This is a good first step."
The sale of Oak Creek-based Midwest Air to TPG Capital and Northwest Airlines Corp. is expected to close by Thursday.

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[GOULET!]

Nice going Eagle757Shark. You beat me to the punch by about 30 seconds. I think this is perfect timing by AirTran. Like it says above, the TPG deal is still expected by the 1st. I know alot of people at Skyway are welcoming the increased flying out of MKE on AirTran now.

 

[CitationLover]

well the west coast flying out of MKE has limited capacity so I doubt the impact is too much. LGA/BOS are the two high yield routes they are targeting so far and I am sure the market can bear 6 more flights per day to those markets.

a significant portion of our west coast revenue out of MKE isn't originating in MKE. AAI generating more O traffic from MKE to the west coast is a good thing for ALL carriers flying those routes. competition is a great thing.

and it looks like i was right, a small loss in 4Q for AAI. i am sure the NPA will be hit with the usual "costs must be contained and remained low" during their negotiations.

 

[Eagle757shark]

Nice going Eagle757Shark. You beat me to the punch by about 30 seconds. I think this is perfect timing by AirTran. Like it says above, the TPG deal is still expected by the 1st. I know alot of people at Skyway are welcoming the increased flying out of MKE on AirTran now.

I don't know about TPG or Skyway, but I do know that AirTran has made it a priority in 2008 to build a midwest presence. AirTran is interested in building a east-west flow in their route network. They learned a great deal about Milwaukee and the market and feel this is a market that will help them accomplish their goal. This summer will be a busy time in Milwaukee. The residence will have lots of low fare options. More expansion in Milwaukee to come. OH...it's not personal it's just business! Famous quote!

 

[CitationLover]

OH...it's not personal it's just business! Famous quote!

spoken like a true scorned lover from "As MKE Mitchell Turns" on CBS at 2pm.

 

[Kharma Police]

For the MEH guys. Do you take the 717 to the west coast (maybe via MCI) or do you fly the Super-80s?

 

[CitationLover]

For the MEH guys. Do you take the 717 to the west coast (maybe via MCI) or do you fly the Super-80s?

80's, although the 717 has been doing one PHX flight a day lately.

717 from MCI to SEA/SAN/LAX/SFO.

 

[Kharma Police]

I know alot of people at Skyway are welcoming the increased flying out of MKE on AirTran now.

Didn't you laugh at what AirTran was going to do with the 4 gates in MKE?

 

[gt1900]

Ive seen the MEH 717 in SEA going back and forth from MCI as well.... BTW... Citation, don't act like your some genious because "you" estimated AAI was going to have a small loss. All you had to do was look on AAI's website under the earnings section. They have been predicting a 2 million loss since early January...

 

[Eagle757shark]

Ive seen the MEH 717 in SEA going back and forth from MCI as well.... BTW... Citation, don't act like your some genious because "you" estimated AAI was going to have a small loss. All you had to do was look on AAI's website under the earnings section. They have been predicting a 2 million loss since early January...

For the 7th straight year profitable!