80ktsClamp

Southwest shifting some Atlanta service back to AirTran | ajc.com

By Kelly Yamanouchi
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Southwest Airlines’ transition of AirTran Airways flights into Southwest service hasn't been all smooth sailing since the merger last year.

The gradual conversion of AirTran's large Atlanta operation is bringing Southwest some unusual challenges and in the latest round of ongoing flight changes, the airline is temporarily shifting some Southwest flights in Atlanta back to AirTran service.

The flights being shifted back to AirTran include service from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to Los Angeles, Chicago Midway, Phoenix, Denver and Las Vegas.

Part of the delay is due to rebranding -- repainting exteriors and redesigning interiors -- of AirTran’s fleet to the Southwest design. The first converted AirTran plane will be available for service this month, with several more expected each month.

And the carrier still lacks the capability to connect travelers between AirTran and Southwest flights, limiting its ability to fill Southwest flights with AirTran customers. and vice versa. Though the carriers had hoped to have connection capability by the first quarter of this year, it is now not expected until 2013.

Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz said the company is "looking at the networks and trying to offer the best possible schedule for each. In some cases, until we get to a point a little bit further down the road, it makes sense to transfer some of that flying from Southwest to AirTran."

All told, Southwest will operate 30 flights from Atlanta this fall, while AirTran will operate 163.

"It's just a terrible dilemma they find themselves in after not coming to grips with that IT [information technology] problem," said Port Washington, N.Y.-based airline consultant Bob Mann. "I would think that's just got to be a critically important issue to solve right now."

In markets outside of AirTran's main hub in Atlanta, Southwest's takeover of AirTran routes is proceeding as planned, as Southwest gradually converts more AirTran planes.

"It sounds to me like they're just doing what they can with the limitations," Mann said.

Complicating the situation further isAirTran’s hub in Atlanta, which allows it to fill many of its flights with connecting passengers. Southwest, which is more of a point-to-point carrier, eventually plans to dismantle the hub, which will require an entirely different business model once Southwest's transition is complete. .

Mainz said AirTran has "a very large and smooth running operation in Atlanta and that will continue to be important throughout this integration. For the foreseeable future, AirTran will have a significant presence in Atlanta."

ClipperJet

Is this a story or just attempted SWA bashing? Is there an example of any large-scale merger that went off without a hitch--exactly "as planned"? How about the DAL-NW merger? AA-TWA? UAL-CO? USAir-America West? Oh yeah, PanAm-Delta?

KC10 FATboy

I recently booked a business trip. While pricing tickets trying to get the best deal, I was frustrated with Southwest because the website wouldn't let me select my departure airport and then choose the destination airport.

Now I know why. I was leaving from a Southwest airfield and trying to fly to an AirTran airfield. I thought perhaps either my computer browser was screwed up, or Southwest's website was having issues. My blood pressure would have been much lower that day had Southwest's website told me this upfront.

Bucking Bar

Sounds like a "story." More so since the local press enjoys beating down Delta every chance they get. Local talk show host, Clark Howard, called Southwest coming to town better than his "birthday and wedding day" all rolled into one.

full of luv

People claiming SWA bashing in press? Isn't that a sign the end of times is near?

coryk

Supposedly it's due to hiccups in the reservation systems like KC10 mentioned above. Folks can't book AirTran to SWA cities or something like that so it's causing a lot of confusing/problems.

Or so I've read/been told. I could be completely wrong though. The loads seem to be pretty full however.

DelDah Capt

I foresee a nice big Pizza party being thrown for the Atlanta Constitution-Journal's Business section writers in the very near future..........

iaflyer

And it wouldn't have ANYTHING to do with (a) the hub feed that Airtran gets through ATL or (b) the local O/D traffic preferring other airlines over Airtran.

shoelu

That's preposterous! Wouldn't someone simply point out that this stuff happens during every merger like you suggested?

Delta-Northwest Merger: Newlyweds Flying in Opposite Directions? - The Middle Seat Terminal - WSJ

Delta-Northwest Merger: Newlyweds Flying in Opposite Directions?

Airlines that merge typically run into operational problems a year or two after the deal closes as they integrate operations: putting computer systems together, for example, and melding maintenance, airport staff and ultimately crews can lead to snafus that inconvenience passengers.
But at Delta Air Lines, an operational slide seems to have started about the time that Delta’s acquisition of Northwest Airlines Corp. was announced.
According to a new Department of Transportation report out Wednesday, Delta was the worst major carrier in on-time performance in November. (The only two airlines of any size worse than Delta were its two regional partners, Comair and Atlantic Southeast.)
Delta and Atlantic Southeast also had the dubious distinction of being the only two airlines with a higher rate of customer complaints filed with the DOT in November than in November 2007. In complaints, Delta was worst among majors.
Back in the fourth quarter of 2007 and the first quarter of 2008, Delta was humming along, ranking No. 4 in on-time performance among the 19 airlines that report to DOT. But in the second quarter of last year, Delta fell to No. 9, then down to No. 12 in the third quarter. In October, Delta ranked No. 16. Then No. 17 in November.
A spokeswoman for Delta says the November on-time rate “was lower than we’d like and was impacted by four days of rain, low ceilings and (air-traffic control) programs.”
Pointing to higher annual results for 2007 and 2008, plus improvements in baggage handling, she said, “Overall, Delta people are delivering excellent results for our customers.”
Curiously, the on-time numbers were just the opposite for Northwest. Going back to the fourth quarter of 2007, Northwest was a dismal No. 15 in on-time performance, then No. 11 in both the first- and second- quarters of last year. Once the merger deal was signed, things improved markedly. By the third quarter last year, Northwest was No. 6, then No. 2 in October and No. 3 in November.
Delta notes that Northwest and Delta often face different weather conditions since Northwest flies largely in the northern tier of the country and Delta in the southern tier. Over long periods of time, weather factors typically even out.
On-time performance often reflects how employees feel about their airline and their managers, and how much attention executives are paying to both rallying workers and working towards a smooth operation. The latest DOT numbers suggest Northwest workers rallied with the merger news, but Delta workers perhaps weren’t as happy with the prospects of the combination. That, or Delta management was simply distracted by the task of creating the world’s largest airline company.

full of luv

Yes but you forget. SWA is special.