Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

When LAX comes back it will only be once daily. It will remain seasonal. I think they lost this battle with NW.

AirTran Reporter

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 341
Location: Indianapolis

When will AirTran add new destinations out of IND? It seems like the merger proposal is dying rather quickly and they will need somewhere to put the new jets that are going to be delivered.

Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

I don't know what they are going to do. But with their schedule changes they will have only 14 flights a day here this summer.

AirTran Reporter

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 341
Location: Indianapolis

Only 14 flights?? How many do they have now? at their peak?

Member

Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 333
Location: St. Louis, MO

I suspect AirTran can make a go of the route, but wouldn't be surprised if that second 737 is needed for say ... San Diego to Atlanta.

AirTran Reporter

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 341
Location: Indianapolis

How many flights does FL have now?

Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

I think they are down to 13 or 14.

Member

Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 333
Location: St. Louis, MO

I guess the questions were answered of where the 737 was going with the announcement of new services from Las Vegas.

Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

I think that the fact that IND was not included in all the new routes out of LAS gives me a pretty good idea that they have lost interest in IND.

Member

Joined: 11 Oct 2006
Posts: 248
Location: Lexington ky

or they know NW will just bring bigger aircrafts or more frequencys

Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

Paintrain wrote:

or they know NW will just bring bigger aircrafts or more frequencys

Yeah. And that may be why they lost interest in IND. Perhaps they didn't figure NW would defend IND as if it were a hub.

AirTran Reporter

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 341
Location: Indianapolis

I wonder what NW's plans are for IND once out of bankruptcy. I wish we could know what is going on behind closed doors. WIth the new terminal opening in approximately 18 months, i wonder if AirTran and/or Northwest are waiting before starting any "major" expansion.

Member

Joined: 11 Oct 2006
Posts: 248
Location: Lexington ky

great point with the new terminal i wonder if we will see any new cities before the new terminal opens

AirTran Reporter

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 341
Location: Indianapolis

I think we will see a couple of cities added in the next 18 months but because of the space limitations, facilities being outdated, etc...i think they may be keeping idle. If one starts an expansion/addition of cities before the new terminal opens, i think the other will respond in kind. But i think both AirTran and Northwest are holding off.

Member

Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 333
Location: St. Louis, MO

I think AirTran will keep adding cities -- but ultimately, I think we'll see them start to fail or find support in markets.

Most noteably, I think they're not going to be very successful in St. Louis.

At this point and time, I think AirTran is starting to realize they might be a one trick pony, hence why they are becoming desperate to get a hold of Midwest Airlines.

Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

I'm telling you the AirTran route planner is schizophrenic. They want a midwest hub so bad that they are starting all kinds of routes out of Las Vegas. They have numerous destinations out of IND and MDW too. If they really wanted a hub they could have been working to build one already. If they honestly wanted a hub in this region of the country they could easily expand IND ops to 40 flights a day right now and in 16 months they could expand to 80 to 100 flights a day. They could work out a deal with the airport to have one of the concourses expanded with an additional 10 gates and go up to 200 flights a day. But I don't think a hub in this region is really what they want. Heck for $100 to $150 million they could likely get both concourses extended and have one whole side (30 gates) for themselves and run up to 300 flights a day. Just food for thought.

Member

Joined: 15 May 2006
Posts: 728
Location: West Lafayette, IN

The problem with that is growing way to large way to fast. I mean where would 200 flights a day go to?

Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

The option is there if they wanted it. Personally they should make use of the 4 they have here now and the 5 or 6 additional that will be available in late 2008.

Member

Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 333
Location: St. Louis, MO

I'm sure they want a hub.

They just dont want to grow the business but instead inherit it all right away ... hence Midwest Airlines.

If AA had kept TWA's 717's after the take over and had designated them to St. Louis-only based flying, I'll go out on a limb and say that AirTran would be offering AA pretty penny to take over their St. Louis operations.

Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

Would you agree that their route planner appears to be schizophrenic? Their route map is a mess. They need to decide if they want to be Southwest and do all the point to point flying or if they want to be Frontier and run the hub & spoke system. AirTran looks to be trying everything. If they took all those jets that they were using on all their mini focus cities like IND, MDW and now LAS they'd have a decent mini hub instead. I think it is unlikely that they'll get Midwest and even if they got them their suppport in MKE would tank. You'll see MKE regulars going to everyone else out of spite.