Author

Message

Indy

Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 06:14:29 pm

Indy
Site Admin

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

It came up on airliners.net today that AirTran is buying 5 LGA slots and 1 DCA slot from ATA. This makes me wonder how well a DCA and LGA flight out of IND would work for AirTran (FL).

For west coast flying AirTran has Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO) and Las Vegas (LAS). Getting New York (LGA) and Washington, DC (DCA) would provide very easy connections between the coast. The routes through IND would be about as direct as you can get. Going from cities like MCI, STL and MSP to LGA via ATL would require significant additional flying. Here are a couple examples.

STL-ATL-LGA requires 1246 miles of flying.
STL-IND-LGA requires just 889 miles.

Flying MCI to LGA via IND requires 343 less miles of flying than going through ATL. It is 505 miles less to use IND versus ATL when flying from MSP to LGA. The same significant distances exist when you use airports like DCA, PHL, BOS, BWI, etc. The value of IND will increase dramatically come fall of 2008 when the new terminal opens. Not only will the routes be much shorter but you will also realize greatly reduced ground time. I would bet AirTran could realize a 50% reduction in ground time using IND versus ATL. IND doesn't have the ground delays that ATL has and come 2008 IND will have the shortest taxi times in the nation.

For entertainment purposes I used the great circle mapper to show potential realistic routes out of IND and how direct the east to west connections are. You really aren't going to find a better arrangement anywhere in the country.

The map includes real routes of IND-LAS/LAX/SFO. It also includes possible routes like SAN, SEA, PHX, DFW, MCI and STL on the west side and LGA, DCA, BOS, BWI, PIT and PHL. These are very clean east west connections with absolutely minimal extra flying.


ind-fl-map.gif
Attached File: ind-fl-map.gif
Food4Geeks.com - Even Geeks Like To Eat.

Indy

Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 07:03:51 pm

Indy
Site Admin

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

FL is getting a DCA slot and apparently they are going to use it for Atlanta... again.

http://www.ajc.com/business/co...s/2007/10/30/airtran_1031.html

Remember a year back when FL tried to get a DCA slot for either MDW or IND? I think this latest move proves FL is not really interested in building a 2nd hub as they let people believe when they were going after YX. This really helps build a case for the YX takeover attempt being nothing more than an equipment grab. Especially since FL has differed on 10 737 orders they had lined up for 2008.

Food4Geeks.com - Even Geeks Like To Eat.

rw175

Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 09:49:58 am


Member

Joined: 06 Jan 2007
Posts: 106
Location:

I think they were more interested in scooping up Midwest where they would already have a well established midwestern hub in MKE instead of having to start one from scratch themselves.

Fly RW

Indy

Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 03:21:56 pm

Indy
Site Admin

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

I think they only time they honestly tried is when they attempted to buy the gates from AirTran at MDW. In one year they could potentially have as many as 10 gates here. They deferred on 10 jet orders for 2008. They could have built up a decent sized operation. Unless they plan on something starting 2009 since the new terminal doesn't open until late 2008.

Food4Geeks.com - Even Geeks Like To Eat.

rw175

Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 04:06:46 pm


Member

Joined: 06 Jan 2007
Posts: 106
Location:

Do you mean they could have 10 gates at the new terminal? I don't see how they could have 10 gates in the current terminal. We all know that NWA isn't going to share A with anyone. B has only one gate open, and I don't think AA and DL could give up any of their's. And US/UA are pretty comfortable in D and probably wouldn't give anything up either. So if FL got all of C, where would Southwest, Continental, and Frontier park?

Fly RW

Indy

Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 04:22:25 pm

Indy
Site Admin

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

Sorry I mean in the new terminal. There are 34 gates now with 6 more coming in Nov 2008. AirTran basically has use of 4 now. Of course who knows who is going to get what gates when the new place opens. Maybe NW goes back to hub only flying and returns to the 5 gates they had prior to expansion. Maybe they expand their focus city more and go with 10 to 12 gates instead of 8.

Food4Geeks.com - Even Geeks Like To Eat.

Forum Index  >  AirTran  >  IND a perfect east/west hub for AirTran?

Pages(s):  1