Had the opportunity to fly airtran last night. Not my preference, but the fares/times worked out so my boss made me do it.

Was able to upgrade my first leg, but not my second.

Airtran's business class is similar to US' first class except that the cabin was extremely clean and plesant.

Big, comfortable seats with plenty of leg room. Plastic cups, like US, but you would expect that from a low fare carrier.

Snack basket similar to US' with different selections, and free booze. Friendly flight attendants who checked periodically if I needed anything.

The second leg was in coach. Again, clean cabin (amazing since the plane was only on the ground 20 minutes before they boarded it). Although the seats had a little less legroom than the majors, the flight was plesant. I especially like the way they gave me the entire soda can without me having to ask.

US has to get their act together. When companies like airtran offer a better product, at a much better price, it makes you wonder.

No. I don't like USAirways, but I flew AirTran once they started here in Pittsburgh, and they are TERRIBLE. Just wait till there's a problem -- even at their worst moment, USAirways CSRs are kinder and more able to assist than any AirTran CSR ever can.

Any case, this is probably OT and one of our blessed moderators will probably close it -- but things may be bad at US, but it'll never be as bad as AirTran C/S.

<rant off>

AirTran has 2 types of airplanes - very old and very new. Your experience will differ if you are older than the plane, or if the plane is a brand new. Not to say that they arent both better than props...

Hmmm AirTran is better? Unless you have to go to DUJ!

Bonus points to anyone who can tell the group where DUJ is with out looking it up.

To me any LCC ought to be able to cherry pick the best routes, discount and make money. Let's see SWA turn a profit flying to DUJ.

I was on the "new" 717's for both legs.

Probably about the same age as some of US' airbus planes.

My comments were geared towards the cutbacks at US (plastic cups, filthy planes, inflight service, etc.). It was just an observation that a LCC provided superior service over a suposidely full service carrier.


<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Lindyhopper:
AirTran has 2 types of airplanes - very old and very new. Your experience will differ if you are older than the plane, or if the plane is a brand new. Not to say that they arent both better than props...</font>

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by PineyBob:
Hmmm AirTran is better? Unless you have to go to DUJ!

Bonus points to anyone who can tell the group where DUJ is with out looking it up.

To me any LCC ought to be able to cherry pick the best routes, discount and make money. Let's see SWA turn a profit flying to DUJ.</font>

Nobody flies to DUJ (that would be Dubois, PA) without being subsidized. It's an Essential Air Service location

So, in essence, that's a bad example because nobody would fly it in the perfect free market.



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Don't feed the trolls.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by PineyBob:

Bonus points to anyone who can tell the group where DUJ is with out looking it up.
</font>

Dubois, PA (Dubois/Jefferson County Airport). Pronounced Do-Boys, *NOT* "Do-Bwah" like the wine (Clois Du Bois).

About 90 miles NNE of PIT. I used to live 30 minutes from there in St. Marys, PA (airport: OYM, never had U service, but briefly a scheduled carrier running Cessna 421s to PIT).

[This message has been edited by PHL (edited 11-10-2003).]

What's sad is the planes going to dinky little places (such as E.A.S. airports like DUJ, as well as competitive but not discounted airports like GSP) are actually clean!

Why are US mainline aircraft, obviously used on legacy competitive and discount competitive routes, unkempt? That just makes no sense.

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"It's as easy as 1, 2, C" -- Kelly, Married With Children

[This message has been edited by JS (edited 11-11-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ClueByFour:
Nobody flies to DUJ (that would be Dubois, PA) without being subsidized. It's an Essential Air Service location

So, in essence, that's a bad example because nobody would fly it in the perfect free market.

</font>

Yes, they would. In a perfectly competitive market, there would be lots and lots of airlines, and all airports would be served.

Today's market is no longer regulated, but to call it "perfectly competitive" is far from reality. It is more like an oligopoly with slivers of heavy competition here and there.

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"It's as easy as 1, 2, C" -- Kelly, Married With Children

[QUOTE]Originally posted by PHL:
[B] Dubois, PA (Dubois/Jefferson County Airport). Pronounced Do-Boys,


Sounds like a town Michael Jackson may enjoy... if the public was informed on proper proper pronounciation, it may actually support 1 daily flight to SFO.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by JS:
What's sad is the planes going to dinky little places (such as E.A.S. airports like DUJ, as well as competitive but not discounted airports like GSP) are actually clean!

Why are US mainline aircraft, obviously used on legacy competitive and discount competitive routes, unkempt? That just makes no sense.

</font>


Probably because there is no inflight service. Most often when people say a plane isn't "clean" it's because of the napkins, drink stirrers, peanut wrappers and crumbs left from the people before you. Not much danger of any of that if there wasn't any served. It's amazing what a mess people can make with one bag of peanuts and a cup of beverage.

Airtran has better drink selections in coach, like Vanilla Coke (even though it tastes like sudafed, I like it) and Lemonade.

Airtran has better drink selections in coach, like Vanilla Coke (even though it tastes like sudafed, I like it) and Lemonade.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Airtran is better than US</font>

One word: No way!

I'll match US's FC service against AirTran's Business Class anyday. On AirTran if you ask for a third drink on a long flight you pay. Only the first two are free. And with US entering the Star Alliance I sure do like the option of earning tier miles on airplanes all over the planet. IF you live and breathe Atlanta and only want to earn free trips to to the east coast USA and a couple of destinations in the Bahamas, then Air Tran might be for you. I prefer upgrades to Europe, lounge access, mileage redemtion on many other airlines to places like BKK, HKG, CPT and SYD, etc. etc.

On the plus side for AirTran, I am a big fan of the 717 and personally wish US would buy and fly a bunch of them. It looks like I will have to settle for the EM-170/190 instead.

[This message has been edited by geo1005 (edited Nov 12, 2003).]

And Corona's too


<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by dknn:
Airtran has better drink selections in coach, like Vanilla Coke (even though it tastes like sudafed, I like it) and Lemonade.</font>

Actually Airtran offers unlimited free drinks now in Business class

A friend flew Air Tran business class, and he remarked about the quality of the snacks and that you get a regular size package instead of an airline bean counter miniaturized bag of chips or nuts. E.g. you get the same size bag of chips you would get at Store 24, etc. I place a high value on the food/drink/entertainment on a flight, and US Airways is severely disappointing in this regard. Also not a very good beer selection on US. Half the fun is getting there, so this stuff is very important to me not just a frill or extra especially on day trips, etc.

I was able to change my ticket to an earlier flight without any fees (I was on a roach fare). $35 to upgrade to business from any fare. free drinks (plastic cups, but so does US now), clean plane, and a great crew. What more can one ask for?


<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by jetsetter:
A friend flew Air Tran business class, and he remarked about the quality of the snacks and that you get a regular size package instead of an airline bean counter miniaturized bag of chips or nuts. E.g. you get the same size bag of chips you would get at Store 24, etc. I place a high value on the food/drink/entertainment on a flight, and US Airways is severely disappointing in this regard. Also not a very good beer selection on US. Half the fun is getting there, so this stuff is very important to me not just a frill or extra especially on day trips, etc.</font>

TGI Fridays chips, Mrs. Fields cookies were the highlights of the snack basket. came with the basket several times.

Even the one segment in coach i took gave me a full can of coke. imagine that

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by jetsetter:
A friend flew Air Tran business class, and he remarked about the quality of the snacks and that you get a regular size package instead of an airline bean counter miniaturized bag of chips or nuts. E.g. you get the same size bag of chips you would get at Store 24, etc. I place a high value on the food/drink/entertainment on a flight, and US Airways is severely disappointing in this regard. Also not a very good beer selection on US. Half the fun is getting there, so this stuff is very important to me not just a frill or extra especially on day trips, etc.</font>

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by rd7242:
What more can one ask for? </font>


If I only needed to go where AirTran's limited route structure flies than they'd be great. My needs take me further and US gives me the combination of a good FF program and ever increasing options around the globe - last year UA, now LH, and tomorrow the Star Alliance. Do I b!tch and moan about plastic cups in FC on transcon flights and the dirty cabins? Yup. But all in all, I'll stick with US. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by PHL:
Dubois, PA (Dubois/Jefferson County Airport). Pronounced Do-Boys, *NOT* "Do-Bwah" like the wine (Clois Du Bois).

About 90 miles NNE of PIT. I used to live 30 minutes from there in St. Marys, PA (airport: OYM, never had U service, but briefly a scheduled carrier running Cessna 421s to PIT).

[This message has been edited by PHL (edited 11-10-2003).]</font>

So you must remember Good old Straub Beer one of my personal favorites. DUJ is perhaps a bad example, but the point remains the same. Switch DUJ to Greenville, NC or anyone of the not quite 40 cities US flies to that NO ONE else does. I fly for my business to a ton of them. That's one of the reasons I so flipping loyal to US.

For those of us in the Baltimore area, Air Tran has been a welcome relief from cattle call on WN to Florida. I also like the idea of going nonstop to BOS over WN to PVD or MHT. I agree - $35UG's to BIZ are awesome, and I've found the flight crews pleasant - though I am a BIG fan of the crews on US for the most part.

Air Tran's remaining DC-9's will be gone by year's end. With new arriving 717's, there will be more frequency out of BWI and DCA; and with new arriving 73's next year, their service to the west will only expand. Right now, they go to LAX, SFO, and LAS on Ryanair-leased A320's. When the 73's arrive, that goes away, and the services expand - and more than just from Atlanta, I would imagine. They also fly to DEN on 717's.

One downside is mentioned above. A cancelled flight at a place where they don't have a lot of service (western spots, etc) can leave you stranded, and I have found CSR's less than equipped to effectively deal with a stranded upset customer. Growing pains.

It would be very difficult for me to leave my CP status with US, and the partnership with UA and now STAR keeps me loyal. BUT....the quick FLorida RT's on AirTran can't be beat..and I have put LOTS of friends on to them who have become happy customers.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by AS Flyer:

Probably because there is no inflight service. Most often when people say a plane isn't "clean" it's because of the napkins, drink stirrers, peanut wrappers and crumbs left from the people before you. Not much danger of any of that if there wasn't any served. It's amazing what a mess people can make with one bag of peanuts and a cup of beverage.</font>

Au contraire -- I've gotten in-flight service on short Express flights such as AVL-CLT and DCA-PHL, and I've gotten no in-flight service on equivalently long mainline flights such as PIT-DCA and PHL-LGA.

At least on Delta and US Express, they will tell you if the flight is too short (supposedly) to serve a beverage. On US mainline, after 30 minutes of complete silence followed by pre-landing announcements, you figure out that in-flight service isn't happening today.

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"It's as easy as 1, 2, C" -- Kelly, Married With Children