Originally Posted by
MikeFromMKE
I think the point that Knope was making is that Airtran has no other option than to fly direct MKE-LAX because MKE-ATL-LAX would not work. But DEN and MCI are almost a straight shot in and they can utilize aircraft better while not stopping people from getting to LAX. If Airtran dropped MKE-LAX in the winter then they might not get the numbers back in the summer, so they'll take a hit over winter to keep the route positive overall.
Okay, but that does not mean that frontier will fortify MCI or DEN. Southwest offers more destinations and greater frequency to west coast destinations via LAS and PHX than Frontier does via DEN or MCI. Delta would also be more attractive for people who also fly overseas. Between direct flights on Airtran, Southwest (greater connections and more destinations), Delta more destinations I do not see where Frontier fits into this equation.