Jun 8th, 2011 at 8:00AM: The most recent U.S. Department of Transportation data is out, and it's time for the airlines to brace themselves. The good, the bad and the ugly can be discerned from the data, and numbers are notoriously poor at showing excuses (I mean, "underlying reasons").
So, let's start with what looks good. Hawaiian Airlines is most likely to get you to your destination on time, leading U.S. carriers ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
AirTranAirways posts
Airline industry best and worst of April 2011
Jun 8th, 2011 at 8:00AM: The most recent U.S. Department of Transportation data is out, and it's time for the airlines to brace themselves. The good, the bad and the ugly can be discerned from the data, and numbers are notoriously poor at showing excuses (I mean, "underlying reasons").
So, let's start with what looks good. Hawaiian Airlines is most likely to get you to your destination on time, leading U.S. carriers ...Five airline amenities making a comeback ... and the one we want
Dec 21st, 2010 at 9:00AM: Wow, there's a headline I never thought I'd write! Though I suspect it has little to do with actual customer demand – after all, the airlines don't even call us customers – several are starting to bring small, small perks back into the cabin. Two factors help, of course: (1) they aren't expensive and (2) airlines have shown solid profits this year (at least in the United States).
...Which airline made the most money on baggage fees?
Dec 13th, 2010 at 2:30PM: Last year, baggage fees were used by airlines to make up for lost fare revenue, as the recession kept people on the ground. This year, it's just been a great source of extra revenue, as passenger traffic and fares are up – and the fees haven't gone away. Almost all airlines are getting in on the action, some more egregious than others.
Well, data for the third quarter of 2010 is in, and ...Airlines getting scammed online, fighting back
Oct 5th, 2010 at 2:00PM: Airlines lose a boatload of cash – tens of millions of dollars a year – because of online fraud. Think about it: you pay for your pillow and to check a bag because some degenerate can't bother to work for a living. The airlines are keeping their customers in mind (shockingly), though, and they're fighting back. Better protection systems, increased staff and a higher priority for ...Southwest uses AirTran for access to business travelers
Sep 28th, 2010 at 3:30PM: The key to success in the airline industry is the business traveler. This category flies often, has less flexibility in pricing and spends more on flights than a leisure traveler could possibly imagine. So, it's hardly surprising that Southwest's acquisition of AirTran – a $1.42 billion transaction – could help deliver greater share of the white collar travel crowd to the low-cost ...Airline mergers could lead to fare "creep"
Sep 28th, 2010 at 12:30PM: The Southwest/AirTran merger isn't expected to push fares much higher. The disappearance of seats that comes with airline consolidation would make you think that prices are about to rise, as the fundamental commodity of the airline industry becomes increasingly scarce. But, we're not close to that point yet, notes USA Today:
"We're not at the tipping point," says George Hobica, founder of ...Airlines continued to cut jobs - 25 months in a row
Sep 22nd, 2010 at 3:30PM: There's a reason why airlines have positioned themselves for a solid performance in 2010: in addition to charging all those extra fees, they have been cutting positions (and thus expenses). In July alone, the industry in the United States trimmed 2.3 percent of its workforce relative to July 2009. That made 25 consecutive months of net job losses in the domestic airline sector.
According to the ...Airlines provide change fee relief because of Hurricane Earl
Sep 2nd, 2010 at 10:00AM: As Hurricane Earl works its way up the east coast, airlines are letting passengers take one item off their lists of concerns. Delta has announced that passengers affected by the storm can make one-time changes to their plans without incurring any fees. This applies to flights scheduled for today and tomorrow and covers more than 20 airports in the eastern United States, including the New York ...AirTran tries to make money like an internet company
Nov 18th, 2009 at 4:00PM: If they can't make money taking passengers from one place to another, maybe airlines can harness the power of eyeballs ... you know, the way the web does. If you get enough people passing by a particular spot -- physical or virtual -- it's possible to toss up a few ads and make some money. This is what AirTran has in mind. The airline is putting ads on the bottoms of seat-back tray tables. So, for ...You could be Danica Patrick's backseat driver
Aug 13th, 2009 at 10:00AM: AirTran Airways is teaming up with Danica Patrick and the Indy Racing Experience to give seven lucky winners and their guests the ride of their lives on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. To complete the journey, winners will also receive two roundtrip flights on AirTran Airways, a $100 Hertz certificate, lunch and one night of hotel accommodations to prepare for the big day on Friday, October 2. ...Airlines post worst on-time performance of the year
Aug 5th, 2009 at 1:00PM: June was the worst month of the year for airline on-time performance since December, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Together, U.S. airlines had an on-time arrival rate of 76.1 percent, down from 80.5 percent in May. But, they had fewer delayed flights than in June 2008.
Hawaiian Airlines put up the best on-time results in June, with Delta subsidiary Comair at the other end ...Peter Graves discusses Gogo Inflight Internet etiquette on AirTran - gladiator jokes included
Jul 23rd, 2009 at 4:30PM: For anyone in the air a lot, Peter Graves is probably a bit of a cult hero. His role as Captain Oveur in Airplane! is one of my all time favorites. So, when I came across Peter Graves (and a couple of other celebs) explaining "Internetiquette" on board AirtTan flights with the Gogo Inflight service, I just had to share them with you. The site has three hilarious clips and a guidebook, and even if ...AirTran provides obvious internet etiquette tips
Jul 15th, 2009 at 5:00PM: Is AirTran the pot or the kettle? It's hard to say, but the airline that has done a great job of making passengers uncomfortable – think of it as the Greyhound experience of the sky – is now telling passengers how they can keep from making their fellow fliers unhappy. It's like giving a stern warning and nothing more to a bank robber caught in the act: it won't do much.
Nonetheless, ...AirTran set to become the first airline with fleetwide Gogo Inflight Internet access
May 12th, 2009 at 10:30AM: AirTran is the newest airline to bring inflight Internet access to the skies. The airline chose the Gogo Inflight to outfit their planes, which is the driving force behind airborne Internet service on United Airlines, American Airlines, Virgin America and Delta. What makes the Airtran announcement special, is that their entire fleet will be equipped with the service by mid-summer. That means all ...Galley Gossip: A question about Southwest Airlines, AirTran Airways, and other airlines who may be hiring flight attendants
May 6th, 2009 at 9:30AM:
Dear Heather,
I was hired with Southwest Airlines earlier in the year, but I was informed today that Southwest will no longer be having any training classes in 2009. Now I'm going to try for AirTran Airways. I had an interview and told them I successfully interviewed with Southwest Airlines last August however they aren't having any training in 2009 and I'm ready to move forward with my flight ...AirTran will Sell Upgrades after Take-Off
Oct 21st, 2008 at 11:00AM: Low-cost carrier AirTran has found a novel approach to the whole a la carte pricing scheme that some airlines seem to be intent on imposing on passengers. No, they won't be charging you extra for using the lavatory or being fat. The airline recently announced plans to sell upgrades after boarding. Passengers who are seduced by business class during the boarding march to economy can purchase an ...AirTran Airways to come to Columbus. It's not Skybus, thankfully.
Aug 21st, 2008 at 3:30PM: Yesterday's news brought the welcome breath of new life to Columbus ever since Skybus did us wrong, jilting us like an uncaring, unfeeling lover.
I heard in a radio news broadcast that AirTran Airways will begin flights between Columbus and Atlanta, Fort Myers and Orlando starting November 6. As the news commentator noted, this does not mean there will be a rush on low cost airlines to Columbus. ...
