Air tran Speaks Out!
 

I found the following announcement in my mail today from Air Tran. Its either an extremly fortuitous market timing, or the first shot in a battle between the majors and Airtran, Jet Blue, and Southwest:
Pay for your Air Tran ticket with an American Express card and you will receive the following:
After 1 1/2 RTs in Business Class or 3 RTs in coach, receive a free Air Tran RT to any Air Tran destination OR 4 Free Business Class uprades.
After 3 RTs in Busines Class or 6 RTs in coach, receive a Free RT coach ticket in the Contonental US on ANY MAJOR US AIRLINE (All the majors are listed).There are restrictions.

The announcement is not clear if you can earn multiple awards. It only states that you have 1 year to earn a reward starting from the earliest credit earned.

Is this the first shot in the war? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Vulcan (edited 09-05-2002).]

I sense that Airtran sees an opportunity here...

They aren't going to become more restrictive like UA, AA, CO, NW, DL.

They want to be "lumped in" with Southwest and JetBlue.

The latter are going to be known as the "passenger friendly carriers" and Airtran wants in.

The AirTran/AmEx "buy 3, get 1" deal has been around for some time. I earned a freebie in 2000 this way...I think it's likely that all of the recent Big 6 "policy enhncements" spurred another round of this email campaign.

AirTran has even more incentive now that Delta has matched "use it or lose it." They ought to at least incorporate it in their newspaper ads in Atlanta and other places that they're less restrictive.

They've always pointed out that they offer one-ways and don't require a Saturday night stay, so maybe this will be an extension of that.

I've mentioned the AirTran deal on MilesBuzz before as the absolute best deal going on right now. I've switched 75% of my flights to AirTran (Southwest getting flights to cities that AirTran doesn't cover). Plus, I love the big seats up front.

From a strategic view, what AirTran should do is go full-out and adopt Southwest's ticketing/refund rules verbatim, and then advertise the **** out of it. Delta just gave them a gift, they must go out and exploit it.

My concern, however, is that AirTran's computer systems couldn't handle the archiving of millions of partially-used credits like Southwest's does.

I think AirTran is in a very nice niche right now and could start picking up some serious market share against Delta.

Another thing that AirTran has got going for themselves is that clean commercial with the simple cel-animation, all of the silhouettes, and the soft colors. It sure doesn't look like anything that would come from a budget airline. (I hope my last statement didn't offend anyone; it wasn't intended to.) I haven't seen it in the Atlanta market for a while, but it was well done.

WN has been giving 3 points per flight if you use your Amex card for some time now. I don't know if it is market sensitive or if it is still going on, but has worked for me over the past year at least. Of course, no upgrades on WN.

OK, how does AirTran BC compare with JetBlue? Compared with "major" airline FC? How many seats do they usually have allotted to BC?
I've been told that you can upgrade at the TC on AirTran for $35/leg, but they get very few takers. However, I have no experience with this airline, though I may if the majors continue with thier nonsense, and try to have all their "benefits" the same.

In the newer planes, they have 3 rows of 2x2 BC seating.

I prefer it to the "majors" BC, with one exception: there's no food at all. Also, the drink selection is more limited than the big boys.

However, AirTran's BC is better because there's never a "upgrade lotto" to see who gets to sit upfront based on status. You pays yer money, and you sit in the front. Very straightforward.

My only beef is that once I pay my $35 (or more, if I reserve it ahead of time), they had better enforce who sits up there. On flights with empty seats, I've seen entire families pick up their stuff in coach and commandeer empty BC seats. That is completely unacceptable.

The other thing about AirTran BC is that they don't have messy electronics boxes under the seats, so you can stretch your legs under the seat in front of you.

On UA domestic narrowbody "first class", this is often not the case, and with bulkhead seats on an A319 or A320, you have actually less legroom than you do in coach, it seems.

I'm sure that you have plenty of room in Business Class when the floor burns away from underneath you.

"I'm sure that you have plenty of room in Business Class when the floor burns away from underneath you."

Classic! ROTFL

Well, the floor may burn away underneath you if you are on a Delta Murder-11 too http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Unused credits are stored in the Res system at FL, just like WN. Just used one yesterday. Gave the res agent the confo, and she pulled it up for me. Granted, I couldn't use it online, like WN, but I'll bet it's coming.

FL is more Travel Agent friendly as well, just like WN. FL still pays commissions to my TA, but also allows 'em to book web fares via the website. Once you get over the adjustment from other carriers, it seems to work just fine. Like WN, FL doesn't promise more than they can deliver.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsdown.gif I don't really care even if they offer "Buy 0, get 9999999 free."

AirTran, formerly known as ValuJet, changed its name after a 1996 crash in the Florida Everglades that killed 110 people...

[This message has been edited by FT wannabe (edited 09-10-2002).]