AirTran leaving SAV
Aug 20, 2008, 1:48 pm
#1
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AirTran leaving SAV
From the Savannah Daily News
AirTran Cancels Savannah
AirTran Cancels Savannah
(SAVANNAH, GA) After 13 years of trying to make its Savannah-to-Atlanta flight corridor work, AirTran Airways will pull out of Savannah on October 27, unable to make local business passenger numbers grow.
[...]
"At our peak, we operated five flights per day to Atlanta, but now we're down to just two," said Tad Hutcheson, spokesman for the airline.
[...]
He said none of its 300 reservation call center employees in Savannah will be laid off, due to it being its third largest workforce for the airline after Atlanta and Orlando.
[...]
"At our peak, we operated five flights per day to Atlanta, but now we're down to just two," said Tad Hutcheson, spokesman for the airline.
[...]
He said none of its 300 reservation call center employees in Savannah will be laid off, due to it being its third largest workforce for the airline after Atlanta and Orlando.
Aug 20, 2008, 3:40 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2007
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If I'm not mistaken, the ATL-SAV route was the shortest route in their system. Perhaps a 717 was oversized for that route and they had nothing smaller to put on it. (Not that RJs would be a better option, anyway, due to hgh fuel costs)
Aug 20, 2008, 5:57 pm
#3
formerly known as Frugal Travel Guy
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A sad day
Not because I fly them, but they kept prices somewhat reasonable.
Aug 20, 2008, 8:33 pm
#4
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That's always the problem with low cost carriers. People don't understand the whole "use it or lose it" issue. Yes, the presence of AirTran forces other carriers to lower their fares, but AirTran's not going to make money unless they lure at least some of the passengers away from the other carriers.
Delta has such a loyal frequent flyer base in SAV that I'm not surprised AirTran is pulling out. Two flights a day, especially with both being midday turns instead of an early morning departure/late evening arrival, is not a very convenient schedule for business travelers.
I feel bad for all of AirTran's reservation call center employees in SAV...according to one of the news articles I read, they're all keeping their jobs, but they'll have to drive 4 hours to ATL (or drive to JAX or CHS and connect in ATL) in order to use their non-rev flight benefits!
Delta has such a loyal frequent flyer base in SAV that I'm not surprised AirTran is pulling out. Two flights a day, especially with both being midday turns instead of an early morning departure/late evening arrival, is not a very convenient schedule for business travelers.
I feel bad for all of AirTran's reservation call center employees in SAV...according to one of the news articles I read, they're all keeping their jobs, but they'll have to drive 4 hours to ATL (or drive to JAX or CHS and connect in ATL) in order to use their non-rev flight benefits!
Aug 21, 2008, 8:09 am
#5
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Delta has such a loyal frequent flyer base in SAV that I'm not surprised AirTran is pulling out. Two flights a day, especially with both being midday turns instead of an early morning departure/late evening arrival, is not a very convenient schedule for business travelers.
Aug 21, 2008, 11:28 am
#6
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I flew that route in 2006... all I remember from that flight I was dying of thirst, and as soon as the FA's got close to me with their pushcart the captain turned on the seatbelt signs and they cancelled drink service because of turbulance.... I was like Nooooooooooooooooooo!
--Russ
--Russ
Aug 21, 2008, 11:33 am
#7
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If memory serves me correctly AirTran used to run RJ service to SAV among a small group of cities. I can't recall who operated the flights for them but it was short lived.
Aug 21, 2008, 12:09 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2007
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You are correct. It was called AirTran JetConnect, or something like that, and was operated by Air Wisconsin using CRJs.
Aug 21, 2008, 2:58 pm
#9
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Aug 22, 2008, 8:58 am
#10
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Exactly. 
That's why as much as I value the frequent flyer perks I get on the legacy carriers, I try to fly AirTran on at least half of my trips if the flight schedule permits. The only way to keep fares down on all airlines is to actually fly with the LCCs. I'm lucky, though, living in RIC and MKE, since AirTran has a significant presence in both places as compared to SAV. Two flights a day isn't enough to build loyalty other than with the once-a-year Ma and Pa Kettle type leisure traveler.
That's why as much as I value the frequent flyer perks I get on the legacy carriers, I try to fly AirTran on at least half of my trips if the flight schedule permits. The only way to keep fares down on all airlines is to actually fly with the LCCs. I'm lucky, though, living in RIC and MKE, since AirTran has a significant presence in both places as compared to SAV. Two flights a day isn't enough to build loyalty other than with the once-a-year Ma and Pa Kettle type leisure traveler.
Aug 22, 2008, 8:54 pm
#11
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Last edited by Absinthe; Aug 22, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Aug 23, 2008, 6:34 pm
#12
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I flew that route in 2006... all I remember from that flight I was dying of thirst, and as soon as the FA's got close to me with their pushcart the captain turned on the seatbelt signs and they cancelled drink service because of turbulance.... I was like Nooooooooooooooooooo!
--Russ
--Russ
Aug 24, 2008, 4:34 pm
#13
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AirTran wasn't able to do an overnighter in SAV or an earlier morning turn because of lack of available gate space in ATL .... when FL flew 5 flights between ATL and SAV they were a lot smaller...