Southwest and Air Tran to join forces?

by Grant Martin on

With merger and oil mania upon us, these days you can’t rule out any strange airline pairing. Just this week, Bob Fornaro, CEO of Air Tran mentioned in a conference call that they would be totally open to code-sharing and working with Southwest airlines in the future.

Does this mean that Air Tran and Southwest are up to something? As two of the largest low-cost carriers in the industry, their partnership could establish a dominant force in the domestic airline market and their complimentary routes could reinforce each other’s business. As Ray Neidl of Calyon securites is quoted in the article, “Crisis breeds strange bedfellows and the current economic malaise may be the incentive for them to do something even though they are competitive in some markets.”

Actually, from Fornaro’s verbage, it sounds like more of a cry for help than anything. I’m sure Air Tran has taken a big hit just like every other airline that has suffered in the last six months and would love a boost from Southwest’s business. Wouldn’t you want to buddy up with the only profitable carrier in the United States?

Despite Fornaro’s mewing, Southwest is being mum about the whole business and veritably shrugged off AirTran’s suggestions in this USA Today article. I suppose if you’re calling the shots you can make bedfellows with whomever you chose.

AirTran will Sell Upgrades after Take-Off

by Josh Lew on

Low-cost carrier AirTran has found a novel approach to the whole a la carte pricing scheme that some airlines seem to be intent on imposing on passengers. No, they won’t be charging you extra for using the lavatory or being fat. The airline recently announced plans to sell upgrades after boarding. Passengers who are seduced by business class during the boarding march to economy can purchase an upgrade from a flight attendant with a credit card. It will not be that expensive, either: $49 to $99 for a one-way upgrade to business class from the economy trenches.

All this depends on if there are any upgrades remaining after boarding. Passengers who like the idea of seats that are 4 inches wider and a half-foot of extra leg room should upgrade early to ensure that there are still seats available. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution summarizes the new strategy: “AirTran will continue to sell upgrades at the time of booking, at check-in, at the ticket counter or at the gate, and continue to give complimentary upgrades to elite travelers. Flight attendants will make announcements on board if any upgrades remain and are for sale.”

[Via Today in the Sky]

Could Budget Airlines Unite?

by Josh Lew on

A recent post on Ben Mutsabaugh’s Today in the Sky blog focused on statements made by Frontier Airlines CEO Sean Menke. Menke told a Denver newspaper: “I have been very vocal about (low-cost carriers) having to be aligned through some form or fashion…and not necessarily through mergers.” That’s not a surprising statement from a Frontier exec because of his airline’s buddy-buddy relationship with fellow budget carrier AirTran. The two help each other with ticketing, destinations served and promotions.

But the current economy and gas prices may make Frontier’s approach to the budget game a model for other LCCs. While some airlines, like Southwest, have the clout to challenge the big boys on their own, most carriers are finding their low-cost business model in jeapordy. Alliances could help when it comes to ticket sales and frequent flier programs, but also with the costs of using airports. A band of small carriers could agree to make a LCC hub at all major airports, sharing gates, ticketing counters, even employees. Helping each other a little could keep them all in the game longer.

AirTran leaves passengers grounded in Baltimore

by Jeffrey White on

Over at the Consumerist, “Thomas” makes a bid for the airplane horror story of the week (though the event recounted dates from last month).

Seems that Thomas and his girlfriend, having finished up a fun weekend in Baltimore, turned up at BWI for their AirTran flight back to Boston. The flight was listed as significantly delayed (nearly two hours) and after checking-in and confirming the delay on the monitors at the gate, they decided, as any of us would do, to go and grab a bite to eat.

Somewhere between that time and maybe 30-40 minutes later, as they munched on wings at the bar (keeping an ear perked for AirTran announcements), they glanced at a nearby monitor only to see the flight listed as ‘on time’. Rushing to the gate, an AirTran official informed them that the flight was already in the air.

Now, a few things are fishy in this story, but as Thomas recounts it, they were not alone in discovering that the delayed flight was really anything but. A few fellow passengers arrived bewildered at the gate, inquiring the same thing.

They were told, simply, that the airline had made announcements about the flight, but that they could only be heard at the gate.

Seems like you could take the side of the airline on this one, though I’ve never heard of a flight being listed as nearly two hours delayed only to leave right on time.

AirTran, for its part, wasn’t having any of Thomas’ demands for hotel vouchers and other forms of redress. Ditto AmEx, which refused to dispute the charges Thomas accrued during his unplanned night in Baltimore. It does seem that AirTran accommodated the couple on a flight that went out the following morning.

Of course, this wouldn’t have happened if they had checked bags, and although I seldom do check bags, when I do I am always at least assured that the plane won’t leave without me, no matter where I am — not without significant, airport-wide announcements calling me to the gate.