Oh hell no, not PBI too

Oh well, the good times are ending for my once a month commute from ATL -PBI. I hve to go in JAn and noticed that AirTran flights are down to one NON STOP a day while WN has two NON STOPS on the ATL-PBI route. Until recently, we had 2 or 3 AirTran and no WN on this route. Damn, I was hoping with all the baggage fees on this route, maybe they would delay this until they phased out other routes.

Of course, in the big scheme of things, for the average AirTran traveler, this is not a big deal. But for selfish reasons, it is to me. NOw, if they can only hang on to the PHL-ATL route which I use sometimes. Wow, now imagine all those old people getting the blue collar boarding thing and with no assigned seating, and my propensity to like to work in the PBI terminal while people are boarding, my whole commuting experience on this route has gone to hell as I am not likely to get a great economy seat even if I am elite.Even if suck it up and standi in line early, I wonder if I can get a guaranteed exit row seat with elite status.

I am going to cling to that final single Airtran flight on that route until they pry it from my stinkin paws.

I can sense the end coming soon.

I feel your pain, man. Trying to flying ATL-LAX in January and the only remaining FL nonstop out is at 9 p.m. - hell of a lot of good that does a business traveler - and the only nonstop return is a red-eye.
I refuse to take the WN bus and waste two hours in an airport in Milwaukee or Houston, so I guess it's off to Delta for me.

BTW, last week, after arriving at ATL from LAS, about 100 of us who de-planed in ATL waited 97 minutes - I do not exaggerate a bit - for our luggage. Clueless WN employees had no idea what happened to it, no one had any answers, the flight disappeared from all monitors. Just ridiculous.
Of course I wrote a complaint email when I finally got home and I assume others did as well since I received an apology and a $75 FL voucher. Too bad I'm running out of flights to use it on!

I feel that pain, too. And that PBI market - you can't tell me that people would not want the bigger seats, so chalk up another bad decision to...

I heard that WN and FL may merge.

Death of 1000 cuts.

Since PBI tends to have a lot of these blue sleeved people who board first, does that mean these blue sleevers get access to the Exit Row seats first? Or the fact that they need that blue sleeve automatically disqualify them from exit row seats since they need assistance.

1. No
2. Yes

It's finally confirmed. I talked to one of the ground staff and I was told AirTran flights would end in April. I went online and tried some fake bookings and you can only book flights for the first week of April. Anything after that, you get transferred to freaking WN's site.

I am going to have to look into Delta.

Just checked a flight ATL - PBI 4/22 - 4/24 Delta is matching Southwest. All you need is the Delta Credit Card for a free bag.

Delta.com $ 198 RT $99 one way
Southwest $ 198 RT $99 one way

Decided to check ATL -LA same dates

Southwest RT $ 362 nonstop 2 LAX
Delta.com RT $362 nonstop 2 LAX

The absolute cheapest flight I found on expedia was US Air for $302, with a plane change. Southwest flights with a stop or plane change actually cost more than non-stops at $377.

The routes with a stop on WN/FL are now almost always more expensive than the nonstops out of ATL. In all seriousness, could someone explain why that is? Does not seem to make a bit of sense.

There are airport fees associated with every takeoff and landing. Those fees add up when a route network is designed to hopscotch you to your destination.

Landing and taking off also take more fuel and often the routes are longer, requiring more pay to the crew and again more fuel.

It still does not make sense to pay more for less convenience.

Actually I don't blame WN for that. Two segments on a one way depends onm the demand on each of the segments. It's no different why a flight from Tampa to Boston via ATL was cheaper than ATL to BOS not too long ago.