Why is Airtran doing nothing?

[meanstreak]

http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/stocks/transportation/10294450.html?cm_ven=YAHOO&cm_cat=FREE&cm_ite=NA

Every airline is expanding to Mexico while Airtran just sits around doing nothing. Can anyone explain this please.

 

[ultrarunner]

I thought I remember a press release where they were awarded operating authority to some destinations in Mex. Could be wrong though.

Do a search of their press releases. Could be they have simply not started up that service.

 

[EMBATP]

cun

remember we got approval for cancun but delayed it because of the hurricane...i guess its still on but who knows....

 

[Airtran717]

Low Fare Carrier Approved to Serve Cancun from Atlanta and Tampa
http://airtran.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=press_releases&item=991

ORLANDO, Fla., June 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI), today announced it has received approval from the United States Department of Transportation to begin service to Cancun International Airport. AirTran Airways' nonstop flights to Cancun will start December 15, 2005, with service from both Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Tampa International Airport. Schedules and fares for the new service will be announced next month. The low-fare carrier hopes to soon receive approval for the addition of a Cancun route from Orlando International Airport.
"We appreciate that the U.S. Department of Transportation has found this application for new service to be consistent with Department policy and the public interest," Kevin Healy, AirTran Airways' vice president of planning. "We look forward to working with Aeropuertos Del Sureste (ASUR) and the Cancun International Airport for a successful launch of service in December."
AirTran Airways will offer the first low fare scheduled service to Cancun from Atlanta and Tampa. The airline currently provides more than 200 flights a day to 46 destinations from its hub at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and this new service will introduce low fares to a number of markets and stimulate new demand between the United States and Cancun.
AirTran Airways will utilize its growing fleet of fuel-efficient Boeing 737 aircraft to serve this new international route. Since taking delivery of its first 737 in summer of 2004, AirTran Airways has been working on growing its route map with international and westward expansion. Cancun will be the airline's second international destination (behind Grand Bahamas Island) and bring its network total to 48 destinations.
AirTran Airways, one of America's largest low-fare airlines with 6,400 friendly, professional Crew Members, operates over 500 daily flights to 47 destinations. 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).

Airline says 'Bienvenidos' to a New Vacation Destination Beginning December 15

http://airtran.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=press_releases&item=1012

ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI), today announced its flight schedule for new, daily nonstop service from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Cancun International Airport, marking the first low- fare flight scheduled to Cancun from Atlanta.
"We are very excited to offer our first service to Mexico and especially the premier resort destination on the Mexican Caribbean," said Kevin Healy, AirTran Airways' vice president of planning. "Cancun is renowned not only for its spectacular beaches and wonderful nightlife, but also is the gateway to Mayan Culture and a wide variety of Eco-tourism. Cancun is a great addition to the AirTran Airways network. Buscamos brindar servicio de alta calidad y tarifas bajas a las personas de Cancun."
Vacation travelers can escape to the new tropical location aboard AirTran Airways' comfortable and fuel-efficient Boeing 737 aircraft. Cancun will be the airline's second international destination (behind Grand Bahamas Island) and brings its network total to 49 destinations.
AirTran Airways will offer the following nonstop flight options to/from Cancun, effective December 15, 2005:
<snip>
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://www.airtran.com/ (America Online Keyword: AirTran).
All fares are one-way. All fares are non-refundable and a $50 fee per person applies to any change made after purchase plus any applicable increase in airfare. All fares are listed in U.S. currency. Tickets must be purchased by September 20, 2005. Travel must be completed by March 1, 2006. Seats are limited, subject to availability and may not be available on all flights. Blackout dates are as follows: December 21, 2005, through January 3, 2006, and February 16-20, 2006. Fares, routes and schedules are subject to change without notice. Fares do not include per-segment tax of $3.20. A segment is defined as one takeoff and one landing. The September 11th security fee of up to $10 is not included. Airport Passenger Facility Charges of up to $18 are not included. Fares to/from Cancun do not include U.S. and Mexican taxes of $82.48.

 

[Airtran717]

Delta, AirTran postpone new Yucatan flights
Atlanta Business Chronicle - December 2, 2005by Rachel Tobin Ramos

http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2005/12/05/newscolumn5.html
Delta has canceled new routes to Cozumel from Los Angeles and Salt Lake City and to Cancun from Orlando, Fla.
The bankrupt airline (Pink Sheets: DALRQ) also plans to delay introducing new routes to Cancun from Boston, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, New York and Washington/Reagan, according to motions and letters filed last month with the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of International Aviation.
If approved, all of those flights, which had been set for takeoff between December and February, will be grounded until June 1.
AirTran (NYSE: AAI) has asked the transportation department to delay its first service to Cancun from Tampa and Atlanta. The routes would have lifted off March 4, but now the airline wants to delay them "until the winter season of 2006, at the earliest," according to a Nov. 9 letter to the department.
The cancellations could be a bitter pill for the Yucatan peninsula.
Hotels and businesses are reopening, with 12,000 of Cancun's 27,500 hotel rooms expected to be available by Dec. 15, according to the Mexican Tourism Board.
The board also says that Mexico plans to invest more than $10 million in marketing the rebuilt Mexican Caribbean, while it gives Cancun a $20 million face-lift, including new sidewalks, streets and "hurricane-resistant street lighting."
But one Web site, Cancuncare.com, reports many businesses won't reopen until airlines bring back the tourists. "It's Catch-22 at the moment," says the Web site, run by tour operators.
It was a difficult decision to cancel AirTran's new routes, said Kevin Healy, vice president of planning for the carrier. He acknowledged those economies live almost entirely off tourism. But for AirTran's first service to Mexico, the airline decided it would be best to wait until next winter to ensure there would be hotels for the passengers and to allow the airline to build its market.
Delta also wants to give the area time to recover, said Delta spokeswoman Gina Laughlin.
"By pushing back the startup date for Delta's other hubs and focus cities, it gives Cozumel and Cancun an opportunity to rebuild and passenger demand a chance to grow again," Laughlin said.

 

[Phaedrus]

Doing nothing is actually doing something....in a philosophical sense.

 

[TV9Driver]

slow and steady wins the race......

 

[FLYLOW22]

slow and steady wins the race......

Worked for Delta.

 

[DougCorp-9]

It is expensive to open new cities but cheap to increase service on current routes or open new routes between current destinations(groud station and employees already in place). Vacation markets are low yield routes so it makes more "cents" to put the aircraft where they will make the most money. Also with international destinations your aircraft get tied up with customs which lowers you daily utilization. My 2 cents.

 

[Nocturnal1]

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