Southwest Buying AirTran (Dallas, San Juan: 2014, closing, costs)

[loves2read]

will that help Love that much--
I don't think it will get better non-stop routes since the legal situation is not changing
but I may be willing to fly Air Tran now...after the merger

[jimithing78]

Not sure how I feel about this. I'm afraid that Southwest won't be able to change the mindset of the Air Tran employees and that Southwest will suffer. I flew Air Tran one time and that was enough for me.

I hope that Southwest can keep up their customer service and reputation. Companies tend to get sluggish as they get bigger. I wonder if they'll keep the Air Tran gates open at DFW - Southwest has never had an interest in going to DFW. I guess we'll just wait and see what happens.

[pappy97]

Originally Posted by jimithing78

Not sure how I feel about this. I'm afraid that Southwest won't be able to change the mindset of the Air Tran employees and that Southwest will suffer. I flew Air Tran one time and that was enough for me.

I hope that Southwest can keep up their customer service and reputation. Companies tend to get sluggish as they get bigger. I wonder if they'll keep the Air Tran gates open at DFW - Southwest has never had an interest in going to DFW. I guess we'll just wait and see what happens.

If this could mean Southwest direct non-stop flights to SF/OAK, NYC area, LA area etc from Dallas (DFW), I'm all for it. But somehow I doubt that will happen.

[loves2read]

I think from what I know about Southwest--that culture bleeds from the top down--
change the Air Tran mgmt and you might be surprised how well the lower ranks adapt
problem is that Southwest is NOT a union company--I don't think even their pilots are unionized like AA and other majors
so THAT more than anything would put a crimp in this
their labor costs are going to go up--but they have captured lot more routes they did not have--so that is kind of a toss-up

I know a couple of people who work for Continental and THEY are not looking forward to their merger...at all...

[scyogi]

I am excited, we have tons of family that fly from ATL using AirTran. I hope the prices become even lower between DFW and ATL!! Honestly the only thing I want in a airline is a safe, quick flight with NO baggage charges!

[txstate]

great flights to ATL and the caribbean for cheap.

[loves2read]

the articles I have read on business web sites tend to discount the good from this merger--most are predicting that air fares on SWA will go up and that passengers won't benefit that much because Southwest is buying a competitor--and thereby closing market share--
when companies do that they don't HAVE to lower rates/fares/fees to gain passengers..
I know that SWA charges no bag fees (big advertising bit for them)
BUT they do that to capture market share--
with this merger they are BUYING market share--
I think it will be interesting--
it would be nice if SWA will use some AirTrans gates at DFW to do some better deals for non-stops vs AA

[loves2read]

Today's FTW paper--big article--basically Wright Amendment will squash Southwest out of DFW--they will be taking away any AirTran flights that violate the Wright Amendment...
yeah?????
so the people who get the shaft in this deal are
1--locals who are still being screwed by the politics in place at the time when DFW was built and AA was kow-towed to so that we are denied the same access to low-cost flights to cretain destinations
You can expect AA to raise fares on anything going into FL--esp Orlando and Tampa--

2--AirTran frequent flyers who are going to see SOME of their options taken away--
might be nice to know if a class-action lawsuit by local AirTran flyers about losing priviledges under this deal might get the Wright Amendment killed before 2014 when it is set to expire...

so the rest of the country will probably benefit and people who fly Southwest/AirTran out of DFW especially will have fares likely increased to off-set some of the low-cost fares available in other areas...

[Debsi]

2014 can't get here soon enough when it comes to airfare prices in this town..

[portorro]

Dallas Love to San Juan. Yuppee. Hope SW keeps the low prices from AirTran.