Southwest Acquires Airtran, Enters Atlanta Market
Decatur Metro | September 27, 2010While we were jumping up and down on Sunday like a toddler over a pudding cup about the first significant amount of rain in Atlanta since the floods last year (that’s accurate, right?), Southwest was preparing to buy Airtran for $1.4 billion in cash and stock, coming into the Atlanta and Northeast markets in a big way. Here’s the WSJ…
As for the deal rationale, think Sweet Georgia. Southwest said a purchase of AirTran will allow the proudly quirky Southwest to expand into Atlanta, and into other major airports such as Boston and New York’s LaGuardia.
The early (and rather obvious) consensus seems to be that this move is bad news for Delta, as Southwest will push down prices on routes they haven’t competed in until now.
But according to Clark Howard, it’s great for Atlanta flyers…
“I am just ecstatic,” Howard said. “It’s like my birthday and my wedding day, the whole thing at once. This is really big. Southwest is the most important player in the airline industry and Atlanta is the biggest airport operation in the country. It’s been so weird that Southwest flies to LaGuardia, but not Atlanta.”
I’ve never flown on Southwest, so I don’t have any personal experience to draw on to compare it to Airtran (or Delta for that matter). What do you all think of this deal?
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SOUTHWEST is a GREAT airline! I have missed them sooooooooo much since moving to the Atlanta area! YAY!! GREAT NEWS!!!
I want Jet Blue.
I think this will be great for Atlanta travelers. I’ve always had great experiences with Southwest. I will miss the cheap business class and the advance seat selection that Airtran offers though.
I am thrilled. As a native Texan, most of my flights were on SWA. As a business traveler, my husband cannot stand the airline. Boarding is like a cattle call, flight attendants are fun and they have better peanuts than Delta. Our hope is that they will continue to drive down the cost of Delta flights – we used to pay $469 to fly from Atlanta to San Antonio (to visit friends/family) – but when AirTran picked up that flight, it drove Delta prices down to under $300 roundtrip – so we could continue to accrue Skymiles on Delta, but had the benefit of AirTran prices. Hope this remains the case. Will also make it cheaper (I hope) for my friends and family who are very loyal SWA passengers to come see me.
This is excellent news!
Southwest Airlines is the least painful of all domestic airlines– cheaper prices, no baggage fees, motivated staff, occasionally fun, even.
It’s no frills, no business class, no reserved seats– more of an efficient, relatively inexpensive bus service… and that’s all I want or can afford for domestic travel. And sorely needed in Atlanta.
I might start flying again.
I’ll be heading to Denver right around the New Year so I’m ecstatic that I’m going to be able to get a cheap fare once Southwest officially takes over. They always lower a quick boom with low fares on common routes when they enter a new market.
Ditto to all the positive comments on here. This is great news. I’ve really missed SWA, though I’ll admit the ‘cattle call’ nature of it isn’t for everyone.
Oh, great! As if air travel isn’t bad enough now. AirTran was the only airline that actually provides real service. Now it’s the Southwest cattle car style of travel. Where does Greyhound pick up?
Southwest Airlines’ service IS wonderful, AND friendly. You’re still welcome to choose another airline, you know, if you think you’re too good to walk on a plane with the likes of me.
NPR’s perspective is that this is also good for Delta because business travelers may migrate back from airtran. Time will tell.
I LOVE SWA! Oh, how I’m missed them and their low fares! I remember I used to fly SFO to LAX for $29 one way. It was fantastic. Their Rapid Rewards was pretty great too (used to be something like book 10 trips, gt 1 free). AND there is no charge for checking in bags. AND NO CHARGE for rebooking. How awesome is that? I just read the FAQs about the merge, and it seems like those policies will stay.
I have no issues with the lack of assigned seat; just check in online close to 24 hours before your flight, and you’ll be good. Not a big deal at all. In fact, I often get better seats with this than I would with assigned seating.
Their flight attendants are quirky and fun–they would often sing (sometimes harmonized, sometimes not) when we were getting ready for landing. Great attitudes, all smiles, great service.
Wish the transaction were faster so I could use them to fly to my parents’ for the holidays.
Actually, it was OAK –> LAX, not SFO. But still.
SW flight attendants are also not afraid to hand out free booze vouchers when a plane gets delayed on the tarmac.
I took my elderly mother on her first airplane ride on SWA, from Oklahoma City to Houston, many years ago. She was thrilled with the whole thing, and the flight attendants treated her like Queen Elizabeth because I told them it was her first air flight. Later, she flew with me to other places, but nothing equalled that first flight on SWA. I remember it was turbulent before we landed in Houston, and she asked me if that was “unusual.” I said, nope, it happens all the time, just like riding on a bumpy road, and she settled in like a trooper. As it happens, I bear a startling resemblance to Colleen Barrett, President Emeritus of SWA since 2008; several times, SWA gate personnel and flight attendants have been unconvinced that I am NOT Ms. Barrett, traveling under an assumed identity, in spite of my denials.
Girl, please! MILK that resemblance!
Now I know what you look like. HAHAHAH!
Yes!!!
As an AirTran employee, I’m pretty bummed. SWA has been trying to get into ATL for a long time, and this was a smart move for them. So far as I can tell, SWA wants the gates at ATL, MKE, and DC area, but beyond the union employees jobs I’m not feeling very good about it. On the longshot chance that I’m offered a position, it’ll be in Dallas. Is anyone here familiar enough with Dallas to know if there are any Decatur-like communities in Dallas?
You don’t want to live in Texas
Amen. I’m from there– Mama got us out as soon as she could.
Well, Mr. or Ms. Anonymous AirTran employee,
I am so very sorry that you are bummed about being welcomed to our wonderful, company. From what I have read so far in several publications, Southwest is extending a warm welcome to all employees without having to re-apply, within the same position you currently hold within AirTran…pretty impressive. Secondly, I doubt very seriously that you would be sent to Dallas…it is our most senior base and those who have been here for 10 or more years can barely get in there. And, I don’t know this for sure, but as big as ATL is for AirTran, I’m almost pretty certain it will remain a base even for us.
Don’t be so negative. I’ve heard of mergers and acquisitions that were far worst than what ours will go through. We have very smart people heading our company, and they realize that keeping the employees happy will encourage them to keep their customers happy. Just sit back and relax and enjoy some of our Southwest hospitality as we join together as one company. Of course, you can’t make all the people happy, all the time. But, I have a feeling it won’t be as bad as you think.