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AirTran To Start MDW-MSP Service

Brick From United States of America, joined Aug 1999, 1571 posts, RR: 8
Posted (13 years 2 months 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 1506 times:

Effective June 10, AirTran will commence daily non stop service between Chicago Midway and Minneapolis/St. Paul. It is anticipated that Boeing 717 aircraft will be utilized for this route.

Source: WCCO, Minneapolis, MN

Hopefully Minnesotans will stop whining now about NW service...

Mark Abbott
Minneapolis, MN

A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man...

9 replies: All unread, jump to last

MEL From Canada, joined Oct 1999, 1082 posts, RR: 13
Reply 1, posted (13 years 2 months 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 1400 times:

Why would they serve MSP-MDW? There are already many many flights with Northwest and Vanguard both flying the route many times a day. Wouldn't MSP-ATL be a more sensible route?

Hey Mark, great photos from MSP!! I'm in ND, and always like seeing your new MSP photos on the database.

NO URLS in signature

Dc-9-10 From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 583 posts, RR: 0
Reply 2, posted (13 years 2 months 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 1394 times:

YES! now lower fares to MSP THANKS A BUNCH AIRTRAN!

USAirways737 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 1026 posts, RR: 1
Reply 3, posted (13 years 2 months 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 1396 times:

Actually AirTran will use the 717 on the route and i dont get why adding 4 more round trips to MDW will lower fares. It will just make Vanguard or maybe even Airtran after awhile pull out of the route because the wont make money on it. Which will raise fares again. 3 airlines serving the same route is dumb. MSP to ATL would have been a better choice. Oh well. I will enjoy seeing the 717 at MSP though.

Brick From United States of America, joined Aug 1999, 1571 posts, RR: 8
Reply 4, posted (13 years 2 months 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 1386 times:

Thanks for the compliments MEL!

I personally think there is too much service to Chicago already from MSP. Vanguard and Northwest serve MDW and Northwest, United, and American Airlines all serve ORD. Adding a new airline to the mix won't really lower airfares after service gets going. Somebody isn't going to survive and my guess would be that Vanguard would be the first to pull service from the MSP-MDW market.

Why wouldn't AirTran go to ATL from here instead? Despite their bitching, they know they probably can't make money on that route. MDW seems like a poorer decision to me. At least there will be more 717's here...

Mark Abbott
Minneapolis, MN

A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man...

FirstClass! From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 5, posted (13 years 2 months 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 1384 times:

I don't know. I'm a little skeptical about MDW-MSP. And I just remembered Vanguard was on the route too, along w/ NW, AA(ORD), and UA(ORD). I just hope AirTran makes it through the storm there.

If things don't go as they seem there's always the ATL-MSP run nonstop.

ATL Traveller From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 166 posts, RR: 0
Reply 6, posted (13 years 2 months 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 1374 times:

AirTran will fly MSP-ATL with a stop at Midway... and vice-versa.

Critter From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 267 posts, RR: 2
Reply 7, posted (13 years 2 months 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 1363 times:

I believe Airtran is looking down the road to what appears to be the end of the line for Vanguard. The last two routes they have added are in direct competition with Vanguard. I believe that they see a potential hole when Vanguard vacates these markets.

Also I don't believe that Airtran would want to jump right into the ATL-MSP market. Fighting Delta is a battle as it is. Northwest has a bad reputation of defending its territory at all costs, and fighting both at the same time would be suicide. I wouldn't be surprised to see Airtran establish a presence in MSP before they expand to ATL direct.

I'm sad to say but it looks like the dogs are starting to circle the wounded duck Vanguard. I'm not sure just how much life Rocky can squeeze out of this airline.

critter

Jrlander From United States of America, joined Aug 1999, 1097 posts, RR: 0
Reply 8, posted (13 years 2 months 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 1361 times:

The flight continues on from MDW to ATL. Airtran says that it did not start a non-stop because Northwest has increased capacity 40% on this route, supposedly to head off any Airtran competition.

TWFirst From Vatican City, joined Apr 2000, 6346 posts, RR: 53
Reply 9, posted (13 years 2 months 3 days ago) and read 1355 times:

Why would MSP - ATL make more sense than MSP - MDW?? If they flew to ATL, there would then be 3 airlines on that route, just as there are now with their addition to the MDW market. I wouldn't mind if they did fly to ATL, especially considering their connections, but I'm just saying I don't know that it makes much more sense than MDW, especially considering how Delta and NW are beating each other up on the ATL route. I think AirTran is trying to fill a niche to MDW that Vanguard doesn't - low cost business tickets (with their first class section). MDW is closer to the loop and more convenient and manageable than ORD.

Andy Lawyer - St. Paul

An unexamined life isn't worth living.

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