Southwest buying AirTran

[ApplePie]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100927/ap_ ... ran_buyout

This'll be interesting..

[SeanTK]

Certainly will be.

Also, Southwest confirmed (on their FAQs page) that they will be operating AirTran's B717s, and gradually applying their livery to them. 

[skoker]

Kinda pissed at WN.... :-/


SY would have been the smarter choice.

[SeanTK]

SY = Sun Country apparently....


I think they wanted to deal with a bigger airline that has less routes that overlap Southwest's existing structure.

[ApplePie]

I wonder what they are going to do with the international destinations? It seems like Southwest avoids going international.

[ApplePie]

Kinda pissed at WN.... :-/


SY would have been the smarter choice.

Why is that?

[skoker]

Kinda pissed at WN.... :-/


SY would have been the smarter choice.

Why is that?

Well think about it.  You would get -700's and -800's while avoiding having to phase out the 717, which I don't think made the profits for airtran that southwest is looking for.  Plus you need to deal with training existing pilots in the 717.  Also with sun country you avoid the hell hole of Atlanta.

[ApplePie]

[quote]
Well think about it.

[skoker]

I know that airtran already has pilots for the 717 I'm just wondering   If they will keep the 717 on the same roots or will they cross utilize them on some of wn smaller routes.  I can see it causing conflict on some places.

[tcco94]

[quote]I know that airtran already has pilots for the 717 I'm just wondering