Airtran Starts Atl-ind & Ind-mco

[rumorboy]

Press Release Source: AirTran Airways


AirTran Airways Races Into Newest Destination - Indianapolis
Tuesday January 11, 2:00 pm ET
Daily Nonstop Service to/from Atlanta Starts May 4, 2005; to/from Orlando June 7, 2005


ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI - News), today announced the airline will commence new daily nonstop service to Indianapolis International Airport from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport beginning May 4, 2005. This route will be served by the airline's popular Boeing 717 aircraft with 12 Business Class and 105 coach seats. The airline will also be adding a daily nonstop flight between Indianapolis and Orlando International Airport beginning June 7, 2005.
"We see an opportunity to bring high quality, low-fare service to travelers in Central Indiana, and we're pleased to be able to offer that new option," said Kevin Healy, AirTran Airways' vice president of planning and sales. "These flights will provide Indianapolis with its first low-fare, nonstop service to Atlanta, as well as convenient connections to more than 40 other destinations across the country with our all new, all Boeing fleet. Customers in our other markets also will appreciate new access to this prime vacation and business destination."

AirTran Airways will offer the following new daily nonstop flight options to/from Indianapolis starting May 4, 2005:

Nonstop Service from Indianapolis

To Departs Arrives Frequency
Atlanta 6:00 a.m. 8:40 a.m. Daily (Starts
May 5th)
Atlanta 10:30 a.m. 1:05 p.m. Daily
Atlanta 2:20 p.m. 4:55 p.m. Daily
Atlanta 5:40 p.m. 8:15 p.m. Daily

Nonstop Service to Indianapolis

From Departs Arrives Frequency
Atlanta 9:20 a.m. 9:55 a.m. Daily
Atlanta 1:10 p.m. 1:45 p.m. Daily
Atlanta 4:30 p.m. 5:05 p.m. Daily
Atlanta 8:55 p.m. 9:30 p.m. Daily


AirTran Airways will offer the following new daily nonstop flight options to/from Indianapolis starting June 7, 2005:

Nonstop Service from Indianapolis

To Departs Arrives Frequency
Orlando 12:50 p.m. 3:55 p.m. Daily

Nonstop Service to Indianapolis

From Departs Arrives Frequency
Orlando 11:00 a.m. 12:15 p.m. Daily


Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson commented, "We are extremely pleased to welcome AirTran Airways to Indianapolis with its great customer service and low fares to many popular destinations. The addition of these flights reinforces our position as one of the lowest cost airports in the nation and continues the unprecedented expansion of air service at Indianapolis International Airport."

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

Destination Lowest Coach Lowest Business
Class Walk-up Class
Atlanta $94 $189 $224
Orlando $79 $177 $229


AirTran Airways A+ Rewards members earn double credits for bookings at http://www.airtran.com through January 31, 2005. Go to aplusrewards.com to enroll.

AirTran Airways, one of America's largest low-fare airlines with 6,000 friendly, professional Crew Members, operates over 500 daily flights to more than 40 destinations. The airline's hub is in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where it is the second largest carrier. AirTran Airways, the world's largest operator of the Boeing 717, 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).

Fare Rules and Restrictions: 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. Service to/from Indianapolis begins on May 4, 2005. Seats are limited, subject to availability, and may not be available on all flights. Lowest available fare requires a 14-day advance purchase. 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.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: AirTran Airways


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[airport]

Great "competitive response" to ATA!

 

[funguy2]

Yeah, this does sound like "We're mad we didn't get ATA"... But that said, should ATA ultimately fail (still a distinct possibility) AirTran would be positioned to pick up some of the spoils, along with Northwest.

 

[phllax]

Did ValuJet ever serve IND? Also, are there any former ValuJet cities besides BDL that are no longer served?

 

[wnfan37]

So can someone educate me on what so wonderful about IND? I mean FL didn't get MDW - so why not try for PIT or someplace with a large population to pull. I was just wondering why NWA and FL are so interested in IND. Even if ATA goes away, is IND the holy grail of cities?
Just puzzled...

 

[coolflyingfool]

Airtran is getting quite a few planes in 2005 and they have to go somewhere. I think that Airtran feels it will get a minimal response by ATA, WN, or NW on the MCO route and by DL on the ATL route. Just my thoughts.........

 

[airport]

IND was sort of a mini-hub for the "old" USAir in the 80's and early 90's. It went away when the focus was moved to PIT. There is a fair amount of high-yield business traffic there.

 

[funguy2]

Airtran is getting quite a few planes in 2005 and they have to go somewhere. I think that Airtran feels it will get a minimal response by ATA, WN, or NW on the MCO route and by DL on the ATL route. Just my thoughts.........

[post="238294"][/post]​

I think you are right. Also, should ATA ultimately fail, AirTran would probably have a backup plan ready to go similar to BWI. IND-TPA/RSW/FLL would all be a natural fit to AirTran's system... Maybe even without an ATA failure.

 

[7.5victim]

Did ValuJet ever serve IND? Also, are there any former ValuJet cities besides BDL that are no longer served?

[post="238167"][/post]​

SDF, DTW and YUL were all ValuJet cities. None have AirTran service.

 

[NuGuy]

I think you are right. Also, should ATA ultimately fail, AirTran would probably have a backup plan ready to go similar to BWI. IND-TPA/RSW/FLL would all be a natural fit to AirTran's system... Maybe even without an ATA failure.

[post="238537"][/post]​

Hasn't NW already has started IND-MCO, FLL, RSW (all mainline) among a host of others, with multiple frequencies per day? They current schedule shows this.

Seems like NW managed to checkmate FL in IND similar to MKE....

Nu

 

[rvolkcpa]

Airtran is getting quite a few planes in 2005 and they have to go somewhere. I think that Airtran feels it will get a minimal response by ATA, WN, or NW on the MCO route and by DL on the ATL route. Just my thoughts.........

[post="238294"][/post]​

Airtran could probably fill 2 daily flights to MCO and 1 or 2 to TPA from ABE. The market was developed by Southeast, which folded in December, and the demand is there. Southeast also flew to FLL from ABE.

While Airtran already has MCO and TPA service from PHL, serving ABE would avoid the frequent delays at PHL and attract passengers from Northern New Jersey.

So far the only replacement service for Southeast will be 2 TransMeridien flights a week to Sanford starting in February.

 

[Kev3188]

Hasn't NW already has started IND-MCO, FLL, RSW (all mainline) among a host of others, with multiple frequencies per day? They current schedule shows this.

Seems like NW managed to checkmate FL in IND similar to MKE....

Nu

[post="238649"][/post]​

Correct. NW has-I think- 51 departures a day out of IND now (including to MKE, by the way)....

 

[NuGuy]

Correct. NW has-I think- 51 departures a day out of IND now (including to MKE, by the way)....

[post="239065"][/post]​

Thats what I thought. If NW even gets a wiff that someone is encroaching on their plans, they go straight for the jugular, they do not pass go, nor collect $200.

Skimming market to ATL from ATA is on thing, as is one flight a day to MCO. I would be wary of taking on NW when the battle is just starting with DL. NW is attempting to fence off the mid-west and build it up as a "fortress region", and I don't know if I would attempt to mess with their plans.

Frontier put a toe in MSP and got slapped pretty hard. There are easier pickings for FL.

JMHO....

 

[funguy2]

Well... I think there's a difference between MSP-LAX and IND-MCO for NW. Presumably there is enough room for NW and FL on the route. While NW probably won't be too happy about it, I expect they won't do much for now, and see what happens.

Since the Reno Air fight years ago, NW will usually "allow" a carrier to fly into its hub from a NW hub with minimal response. HP flies MSP-PHX/LAS, DTW-PHX/LAS, and MEM-PHX/LAS. Frontier flies DEN-MSP. FL Flies ATL-MSP and ATL-MEM.

I think NW won't respond to this one. However, if AirTran gets bold and adds IND-BWI, DFW, and other places in Florida, you'll see NW get aggressive. Should AirTran's expansion be timed with the falling apart of ATA (should that occur), I think IND (and NW) would be able to live with both carriers. AirTran should be able to make gains at IND simultaneously to NW should ATA fail. That's still an IF.

 

[Kev3188]

Here's an article discussing NW's (and other carriers) rationale for expanding in IND....