With a little over three and a half months before the AirTran brand is retired, It looks like the number of flights is going to remain fairly constant until the last day. Here are the airports AirTran currently serves:

• ATL
  
• BDL
  
• BOS
  
• BWI
  
• CAK
  
• CUN
  
• DCA
  
• DTW
  
• FLL
  
• HOU
  
• IND
  
• JAX
  
• LAS
  
• LAX
  
• MBJ
  
• MCI
  
• MCO
  
• MDW
  
• MEX
  
• MKE
  
• MSP
  
• MSY
  
• PHL
  
• PIT
  
• PUJ
  
• RDU
  
• RSW
  
• SAT
  
• SFO
  
• SNA
  
• STL
  
• TPA
  

Total daily flights: 164

With the November schedule, the following lose AirTran service: CAK, CUN, DCA, LAX, MBJ, MEX, SAT, SFO & SNA. Total daily flights drop to 146 with several cities actually seeing in increase.

Of course, everything drops to zero on December 29th when AirTran's 21-year history comes to a close.

[Edited 2014-09-12 06:49:00]

And it looks like come November only 3-4 737s will remain in service.

I don't see DEN on that list, but I swear I saw an AirTran 737 parked at a gate in Concourse A when I was at DEN on Monday morning. (I flew F9 though)

I don't know if I can express the anger I have for Southwest. They've been advertising in Atlanta since the start of the takeover spewing propaganda about how "they're bringing lower prices to Atlanta" which is a load of crap, and people like Clark Howard here just eat it up. I'm sure Richard Anderson want's to smooch Gary Kelly right on the lips.

And I'm booked on the last flights to and from ATL to FLL in BUSINESS CLASS!       

I'll happily be able to say I rod FL on the last day of Ops     Yes the price I paid is insanely high, but who cares--I'm flying AirTran on the last day of its existence out of my favorite airport, and the icing on the cake is that I'm in J!!   



-LPDAL

LPDAL,

Looks like you aren't the only guy booked on a flight with FL on their last day. I'm on their last flight: ATL-TPA - Flight #1. Currently booked in Y and it looks like all of the J seats are booked, but maybe someone will cancel and I can buy an upgrade. Will be nonreving back to ATL the next day.

I was on the final scheduled DC-9 flight on DL in January and I figured that it would be great to hit up the last FL 717 flight. That series of aircraft is my absolute favorite and I look forward to many long years of 717 service at Delta.

N776UA,

I'm right there with you. I remember telling people that this whole "merger" was unnecessary and would not result in any lower fares for the Atlanta traveler. As you said, Clark Howard just ate it up and told Atlantans how we'd experience the "Southwest effect". The glorious Southwest effect that never came because FL had lower costs, even when bags were factored in. It does make me angry to such a great airline gobbled up and routes cut from ATL. The costs have risen for the consumer because of WN's higher prices and Delta just gets to match them. But, thanks to the merger, Delta is getting some great 717s and they'll have a new lease on life. If you haven't had the chance to fly on yet you should. Delta is really making the interiors look great.

Sure will be a shame to see them go. I've always had good interactions with FL pilots. Always seem to be in good spirits (especially Mad Dog) and willing to help out if and when it's needed. Hopefully they will carry this attitude to the next chapter of their career. Not saying WN, or any other carrier for that matter doesn't have pilots like this, I fortunately have never had a problem with FL pilots vs other carriers.

Quoting ThomasMTroxell (Reply 5): Looks like you aren't the only guy booked on a flight with FL on their last day. I'm on their last flight: ATL-TPA - Flight #1. Currently booked in Y and it looks like all of the J seats are booked, but maybe someone will cancel and I can buy an upgrade. Will be nonreving back to ATL the next day. I was on the final scheduled DC-9 flight on DL in January and I figured that it would be great to hit up the last FL 717 flight. That series of aircraft is my absolute favorite and I look forward to many long years of 717 service at Delta.

Seat selection is handled by the bits and pieces left of FL :



The cabins on the 717s have no dividers, and if a Y passenger decides to use a knee defender, it's on!



-LPDAL

I am another one P/O'd that this merger happened. I flew AirTran a lot and always got the cheap upgrade. I can't stand WN and their cattle car express. I had to change planes in ATL but that was a small price to pay. I never had an issue with them despite all the times I rode them. Well chalk up another loss of a great niche carrier.

Can someone please explain FL's financial situation before the WN/FL merger? I remember reading somewhere online that FL wasn't in a good situation on the inside, but on the outside, they looked like they were doing fine. Any help is appreciated!

Quoting stratosphere (Reply 8):

Cattle car express? What's so unorganized with lining up in number order, then quickly getting on the plane? If you can't count, I can see why you don't like WN's method of boarding.

Quoting stratosphere (Reply 8): I flew AirTran a lot and always got the cheap upgrade.

So you're pissed you're not getting cheap upgrades anymore? I remember when I used to be able to use an upgrade certificate on AS for several years without it being collected. I remember when DL used to hand upgrades out like candy.

Quoting stratosphere (Reply 8): I can't stand WN and their cattle car express.

Because Delta, AS, AA etc all have such organized boarding processes. Take a look at the swarm of people around the DL gates or in the UA cattle chutes next time you fly.

But hey, whatever floats your boat.

Quoting TheMSYGuy (Reply 9): Can someone please explain FL's financial situation before the WN/FL merger? I remember reading somewhere online that FL wasn't in a good situation on the inside, but on the outside, they looked like they were doing fine. Any help is appreciated!

They were having difficult financial times. Finances were not the greatest and the move into MKE and the fight with YX helped lead to the sale. Ironically,the MKE fight ultimately lead to the demise of both FL and YX. One just lasted longer than the other.

Quoting TheMSYGuy (Reply 9): Cattle car express? What's so unorganized with lining up in number order, then quickly getting on the plane? If you can't count, I can see why you don't like WN's method of boarding.

I know! Gate lice with the legacies are unorganized. At least WN organizes the gate lice. And the cattle file on in order, as opposed to zone 3 standing--unmoving--right by the ticket reader while earlier zones try to board around them.

We'll miss you AirTran! The best LCC I've ever flown. Airline mergers = less competition which ultimately leads to higher fares and inferior product.

Quoting LPDAL (Reply 7):

Looks like you're not the only one who prefers the last row in J! I'm not sure what it is about it, but I also try to choose the back if possible (though most of the time I don't have much of a choice as I'm typically one of the last UG's, if I get one at all anymore). Maybe it feels more spacious being able to see rows in front of you. Anyways, a bit off topic...

Quoting L0VE2FLY (Reply 12): We'll miss you AirTran! The best LCC I've ever flown. Airline mergers = less competition which ultimately leads to higher fares and inferior product.

Flew them a few times, STL-ATL-RIC and back. Loved the radio stations and the fact that my headphones worked in them. Last time I flew them ATL-STL I took the upgrade for $50. Wasn't "really" worth it for that length of a flight but hey, I spent less $$$ out in Virginia than I planned so I treated myself to the bigger seat. Haven't flown them since the WN deal. Good outfit all-in-all. At least post-VJ.

Never ever saw the appeal of Southwest. Air Wal-Mart if there ever was one.

AirTran was a great little airline and it's a shame this is happening.

Quoting UA444 (Reply 15): Never ever saw the appeal of Southwest. Air Wal-Mart if there ever was one.

Maybe in the 90's. It's a decent way to get where you're going, if they go there.

Quoting UA444 (Reply 15): Never ever saw the appeal of Southwest. Air Wal-Mart if there ever was one.

You don't fly much, do you? This has to be one of the dumbest comments that could be made.

Quoting ouboy79 (Reply 17): You don't fly much, do you? This has to be one of the dumbest comments that could be made.

Yes, because someone who doesn't fly much would pay $25 to join an aviation fan site...

Quoting chrisair (Reply 10): Because Delta, AS, AA etc all have such organized boarding processes. Take a look at the swarm of people around the DL gates or in the UA cattle chutes next time you fly.

Quoting TVNWZ (Reply 11): I know! Gate lice with the legacies are unorganized. At least WN organizes the gate lice. And the cattle file on in order, as opposed to zone 3 standing--unmoving--right by the ticket reader while earlier zones try to board around them.

Somehow this problem never materializes with me in Sky Priority, Premier Access, Preferred Access, or PriorityAAcess. No one ever has tried to fudge the gate agents by trying to board with Zone 1 in my experience because every airline stamps their "priority" logo in large font across the ticket. Just another reason why I avoid Y and Y+ at all costs except on airlines that are all-Y such as 3M which I only fly on once in a blue moon anyway.

-LPDAL

Quoting stratosphere (Reply 8): I am another one P/O'd that this merger happened. I flew AirTran a lot and always got the cheap upgrade. I can't stand WN and their cattle car express. I had to change planes in ATL but that was a small price to pay. I never had an issue with them despite all the times I rode them. Well chalk up another loss of a great niche carrier.

Whoa...calm down bro. There are a lot of mergers that I didn't like (HP/US for one...I REALLY miss HP), but that's the nature of business and capitalism. It sucks for consumers, it sucks for us enthusiasts, but it's all about the bottom line for the companies and shareholders.

I will miss the Cherry Coke option on AirTran, unless that has been discontinued

I booked a seat on the last FL flight. I found a decent fare of MSY-ATL-TPA. I'll be able catch the elusive 735 to MSY as well. Might as well hitch a ride on a historic flight! Not every day you can fly the final flight of an airline. FL wasn't a favorite of mine, but it's still sad to see them go.

Quoting ThomasMTroxell (Reply 5): I'm on their last flight: ATL-TPA - Flight #1. Currently booked in Y and it looks like all of the J seats are booked, but maybe someone will cancel and I can buy an upgrade.

Quoting ThomasMTroxell (Reply 5): I was on the final scheduled DC-9 flight on DL in January and I figured that it would be great to hit up the last FL 717 flight.

I'm in Y as well. Currently 28F to be exact. I was on the last scheduled DL DC-9 flight as well, so we share a common hobby here!

I have to admit that I never paid much attention to AirTran until this summer when I flew MDW-CUN, and I was very pleasantly surprised at how comfortable the flight was, how friendly the crew was, and the good service that AirTran has overall. I would sure like to have more flights with them, but unfortunately that won't happen.

For those who have the experience, how similar is AirTran to Southwest?

Big question is, will they even make a big deal about this being the last flight? WN seems to be in a hurry to get rid of anything that has an @ on it.

Quoting N776AU (Reply 3): I don't know if I can express the anger I have for Southwest. They've been advertising in Atlanta since the start of the takeover spewing propaganda about how "they're bringing lower prices to Atlanta" which is a load of crap,

Advertising is a funny thing, while they are not supposed to lie, they can say something with one grain of truthy in it, and they can get away with it. My partner is a retired attorney, and he says we'd all be very surprised on how few advertising regulations there are. Those that exist leave a broad range of interpretations, as they have often been drafted by corporate attorneys. All WN had to do, to make this statement true, is lower one fare, in one market from ATL

Quoting stratosphere (Reply 8): I am another one P/O'd that this merger happened. I flew AirTran a lot and always got the cheap upgrade. I can't stand WN and their cattle car express. I had to change planes in ATL but that was a small price to pay. I never had an issue with them despite all the times I rode them. Well chalk up another loss of a great niche carrier

Don't you hate it when something you have enjoyed for years is taken away? You know like a favorite beverage, an automobile or an ex. This is progress to many. Be glad you got to enjoy it, I never have had trhe opportunity to fly AirTran as I'm here in Portland on the left coast.

Quoting chrisair (Reply 10): I remember when DL used to hand upgrades out like candy.

I used to sell the most DL tickets of any travel agent in the state of Hawaii when I lived there. As a reward I was given AD100s like candy, at least 8-12 a year (I never got rock fever).

But at the time DL would upgrade us, but we had to be in jacket & tie. Showing up at HNL dressed up, you were pitting out by boarding time. The DFW & ATL flights were impossible to get upgrades on, but LAX was easy with multiple L10s a day.

I have flown on so many AD100s on DL, I got F better than 50% of the time, DL was always very nice about getting me on, it helped I knew a few DL employees at LAX & HNL.

Quoting UA444 (Reply 15): AirTran was a great little airline and it's a shame this is happening

I'm sorry I never got to fly them.I think the east coast just had more carriers in total than the west to choose from.

Quoting AWACSooner (Reply 19): .I REALLY miss HP

Quoting chrisair (Reply 10): So you're pissed you're not getting cheap upgrades anymore?

Anytime a change happens that effects you personally in a negative way, it is natural human emotion to get upset.

Quoting ThomasMTroxell (Reply 5): thanks to the merger, Delta is getting some great 717s and they'll have a new lease on life. If you haven't had the chance to fly on yet you should.

While I've never flown DL 717s, I have flown more than a couple of HAs, and I really like the 717. I wish more had been made, and would be still flying with us currently.

Quoting RWA380 (Reply 24): Advertising is a funny thing, while they are not supposed to lie, they can say something with one grain of truthy in it, and they can get away with it. My partner is a retired attorney, and he says we'd all be very surprised on how few advertising regulations there are. Those that exist leave a broad range of interpretations, as they have often been drafted by corporate attorneys. All WN had to do, to make this statement true, is lower one fare, in one market from ATL

Half truths getting the job done. Unfortunately I'm not a very frequent flier, but I've booked quite a few flights since this merger was announced and it's nothing but matching fares. Southwest's loss I guess. My loyalty lies with Delta.

Also I forgot to mention one thing good I think is becoming of this. Delta adding 717s is replacing regional jets. Any time you can dump a regional jet for a mainline jet is a-ok with me.

Quoting LPDAL (Reply 18): Somehow this problem never materializes with me in Sky Priority, Premier Access, Preferred Access, or PriorityAAcess.

I'm beginning to think you just posted that so you could type out all your elite status.   Seriously though, I've flown DL, AS and AA all over the place and there's one common theme: a huge crowd of people huddling around the gate waiting to board. Some flights are worse than others--one AS flight a few months ago at LAX looked like the escape from Saigon.

But hey, if y'all enjoy that type of thing, that's none of my business. For all of WN's faults (and there are many), the boarding process isn't that big of a deal to me. I also don't give a damn about where I sit as long as it's an aisle or window.

Quoting LPDAL (Reply 18): Yes, because someone who doesn't fly much would pay $25 to join an aviation fan site...

There are a lot of people here who don't fly much at all. Just because they don't fly doesn't mean they don't enjoy planes.

Quoting kapnoc4389 (Reply 22): For those who have the experience, how similar is AirTran to Southwest?

Not very similar in my opinion. To me FL is very similar to SY. The business model is a legacy-lite, and it has an underdog charm among the employees. WN is a unique animal. I haven't flown an airline that I would say is similar.

Quoting Dazed767 (Reply 23): Big question is, will they even make a big deal about this being the last flight? WN seems to be in a hurry to get rid of anything that has an @ on it.

I would think so. It's been scheduled well in advance and carries a special flight number. WN seems to do a good job of honoring history. To me the one thing they haven't done in this acquisition is hurriedly erased FL's brand like it's unwanted.

So, what's going to happen to their 717's as of December 29?

Quoting jolau1701 (Reply 28): So, what's going to happen to their 717's as of December 29?

Delta has already picked up quite a few of them and will continue as far as I know.

Quoting N776AU (Reply 29): Delta has already picked up quite a few of them and will continue as far as I know.

They are taking all of them. Timing on retrofits only thing taking so long. Can't do them all at once.

I have a 10% chance of getting on AirTran Flight 1 on 12/28. It all comes down to money. If it sells out before I can raise the cash, I will be disappointed.

My mom and sister flew on FL MSP-ATL-RSW-ATL-MSP in 2010. The flight back to MSP was oversold and they volunteered for a later flight and got two free tickets to any FL destination.

Next spring, thanks to the two free tickets, the whole family and I flew to NAS. Overall good experience. I'll miss them, but I also like WN so the feeling is neutral.

Quoting MSPNWA (Reply 27): Not very similar in my opinion. To me FL is very similar to SY. The business model is a legacy-lite, and it has an underdog charm among the employees.

I think this is spot-on. Unfortunately other than SY's limited ops, the affordable legacy-lite is gone. VX would be similar in offering, I suppose, but in my experience pricing their flights has been at least as expensive as the legacies. I've always enjoyed the ability to book an affordable J-class seat on FL or even just get upgrades at a reasonable cost.

So while B6 doesn't have an F/J option (excepting the transcon stuff), they are now my preferred carrier. I simply will not fly WN; near every flight with them causes me angst because of the cattle car (even if the cattle are now ordered). For westbound flights from MCO, I'm really not sure what I'll do now. This past winter I flew US to PHX in F and got a good rate, but who knows with their anticompetitive merger with AA. So not really sure what to do for my trip to SEA next spring.

Quoting CitrusCritter (Reply 33):

LOL People need to stop using the stupid cattle car reference with WN has one of the MOST organized boarding processes in the industry!

Gosh there are more people who obviously have shown they can't count than I originally thought! If you know your ABCs, just stick to those carriers that board by zone and zone only...

Quoting TheMSYGuy (Reply 34): LOL People need to stop using the stupid cattle car reference with WN has one of the MOST organized boarding processes in the industry! Gosh there are more people who obviously have shown they can't count than I originally thought! If you know your ABCs, just stick to those carriers that board by zone and zone only...

I don't like zone boarding either, but my objection is not to the orderly nature of boarding or lack therof, but to the lack of a seat assignment. The cattle car deal has to do with the scramble for a seat. It wouldn't be so bad with WN if I didn't pay for BusinessSelect or whatever they call it, get on board and find all the good seats already taken by people on a direct, 1-stop flight. It completely devalued paying them a premium to board first.

Quoting N776AU (Reply 29): Delta has already picked up quite a few of them and will continue as far as I know.

44 are now in service with Delta and another 44 will be before the end of 2015

Quoting CitrusCritter (Reply 35): I don't like zone boarding either, but my objection is not to the orderly nature of boarding or lack therof, but to the lack of a seat assignment. The cattle car deal has to do with the scramble for a seat. It wouldn't be so bad with WN if I didn't pay for BusinessSelect or whatever they call it, get on board and find all the good seats already taken by people on a direct, 1-stop flight. It completely devalued paying them a premium to board first.

So several years ago I went to a Chamber of Commerce event in DC honoring one of the Busch people with an award of some sort. Herb Kelleher was a previous recipient, and was in attendance - you could see the little plume of smoke rising from his table up front, lol. I forget the exact year, but the Budweiser "Real Men of Genius" ads were in their heyday, so in honor of Mr. Kelleher they did a special ad celebrating "Discount Airline Man," I believe it was (not to be confused with the controversial Discount Airline Pilot ad, which was possibly the inspiration for this though I'm not sure of the timing). I'm going 100% by memory here, but one part of it was something along the lines of "And you don't give out seat assignments - you say it makes things easier, but we know you really just like to watch the rednecks storm the plane." It got huge, HUGE laughs, as you can imagine. (I got to meet Herb K briefly and we chatted, mainly because I was with two gorgeous young ladies and he wanted to talk to them - but at any rate, it was such a blast).

My best AirTran memory is the time I flew them from DCA-MCO - I sprang for the $50 upgrade thinking it was just a little treat for myself, but as I sat in my roomy seat in the quiet Business Class cabin and watched the busloads of noisy, filthy children march into coach for their flight to Disney, I quickly realized it was the best money I'd ever spent. (As a bonus, the BC flight attendant looked so much like Ron Jeremy, it was amazing/alarming.)

One other AirTran-related story: That same flight to MCO, at the airport I noticed there were a lot of perky, very patriotic-looking people milling about the gate, and soon learned that they were USO types there to meet the inbound plane, which was an Honor Flight bringing WWII veterans to DC to visit the memorial. They had balloons, patriotic music, etc. The plane arrived, and the entire A terminal came to an absolute standstill as the vets filed off the plane. Pretty much everybody in the terminal was clapping and cheering, and plenty of us were moved to tears (yours truly included, as well as many of the vets). To this day, even remembering it I start to choke up a bit - all of these guys reminded me of my grandfather, who had passed away several years earlier.

So yeah I have random, happy memories of AirTran.

$760 for a FLL-ATL-FLL flight ? You must really want to be on that flight!

Quoting ouboy79 (Reply 17): Quoting UA444 (Reply 15): Never ever saw the appeal of Southwest. Air Wal-Mart if there ever was one. You don't fly much, do you? This has to be one of the dumbest comments that could be made.

Really?

One of the dumbest comments that could be made?

Did you fall out of your chair in hysterics?

Quoting UA444 (Reply 15): Never ever saw the appeal of Southwest. Air Wal-Mart if there ever was one.

You know what? I've flown a lot with WN. I've never had a bad experience with them. A delay here and there, yes. But even when stuff goes wrong, they are good about updating passengers and doing right by their customers. I've enjoyed my flights with WN and, if you understand how they work, their boarding process is the fastest and most efficient system that exists (and this has been demonstrated mathematically and statistically).

Hardly Air Wal-Mart.

I fly WN almost exclusively domestically, and I have never had a complaint with them, except for last year, when I wanted to fly BDL-RSW-HOU-BDL. The legs to and from HOU were on FL, and I hated not being able to choose my seat, but had to take the seat they chose for me. I much prefer the WN procedure; I have never been unable to get an acceptable seat, even when I have been near the end of the B group. So I am happy to see FL disappear. I also prefer the 737's to the 717's.

Good luck flying WN to LHR, CDG, or AMS.   

I still can't believe I paid $760 for a simple FLL-ATL-FLL turn in J, while DL charges $400 for F on FLL-ATL-BOS-ATL-FLL. WN's FL J prices are hardly "low cost". Luckily I can afford it, but a large majority of people can't.

-LPDAL

I've only flown AirTran 3 times in my life.

First was ISP-MCO-ISP
Second was DAB-ATL-MLI-ATL-DAB
Third was DAB-LGA-DAB.

Not a bad airline, didn't exactly like their strategy, but not a bad airline to fly.

Quoting JBAirwaysFan (Reply 44): First was ISP-MCO-ISP

When did they fly that? I never knew they flew to ISP.

Quoting ThomasMTroxell (Reply 5): Clark Howard just ate it up and told Atlantans how we'd experience the "Southwest effect". The glorious Southwest effect that never came because FL had lower costs, even when bags were factored in.

The ballyhooed "Southwest Effect" never really took hold at the insanely high-fared GSP after WN came there either. In fact, the fares were apparently such that WN didn't have many takers and there are currently fewer WN flights at GSP then they started with. WN is a completely different animal from what made it grow organically so fast and what made them the darlings of price-conscious travelers for years. Sad.

Quoting MesaFlyGuy (Reply 45): When did they fly that? I never knew they flew to ISP.

Mid-90s. This was 1997 for me. Very brief.

http://www.departedflights.com/FL080198p21.html

Here is a timetable example from 1998.

[Edited 2014-09-15 19:58:27]

Quoting Cubsrule (Reply 39): This happens, but I see thrus in "all the good seats" on less than 5 percent of my WN flights, and by virtue of WN being the largest carrier at my home airport, I fly them a lot.

Well, I have the misfortune of being 6'8 (2m for the Euro crowd), so my definition of "the good seats" is basically the exit rows and the bulkhead. Then there's the acceptable seats, basically aisles, and then there's miserable...everything else. Because of this, my ability to get a comfortable seat is my #1 factor in choosing an airline. Any airline that will let me select an exit row (even at extra cost) is going to get my business over one that will not. I'm not going to play the game of showing up at the airport and hoping there's no through flight or not too many airline elites to be able to get the exit row; it's not worth the risk of several miserable hours to me.

I recently flew Norwegian to Europe. Not only was it less expensive than everyone else, but it was less expensive even after paying for stuff and reserving the exit row. It was a longer flight than going direct to my destination, but I knew that I had a good seat for an 8 hour flight as well as for the connection.

Quoting GSPSPOT (Reply 46): The ballyhooed "Southwest Effect" never really took hold at the insanely high-fared GSP after WN came there either. In fact, the fares were apparently such that WN didn't have many takers and there are currently fewer WN flights at GSP then they started with. WN is a completely different animal from what made it grow organically so fast and what made them the darlings of price-conscious travelers for years. Sad.

I am glad WN has not managed to run G4 out of GSP. I often fly SFB-GSP on G4 to visit my elderly grandmother. SFB's always a great experience and G4 is just fine for me.

Quoting CitrusCritter (Reply 48): I am glad WN has not managed to run G4 out of GSP. I often fly SFB-GSP on G4 to visit my elderly grandmother. SFB's always a great experience and G4 is just fine for me.

Agreed! We did that flight several years ago for New Years (at Disney World of all places!) and enjoyed it. Too bad G4's model doesn't allow it to truly compete for passengers though. Less than daily frequencies per destination make G4 strictly a leisure option.