Methinks it might not have AirTran's business model to rely on the TOL market to support FL. Perhaps they were banking on Detroiters willing to drive south?

Down here in CAK FL has been quite a success, even adding daily nonstop service to MCO. I was told that the CAK-MCO service was added because there were so many people flying that market that it was keeping FL from being able to feed other markets at ATL. But CAK has a much bigger catchment area population than TOL does. You've got Akron, Canton, Youngstown, and all of SE Ohio to the WV border. The CAK airport marketing staff does a very good job of marketing the CAK airport in the CLE area with radio, TV and billboards. A direct connection from 475 to the turnpike might have been helpful in convincing the DTW crowd to flee south....