AirTran and AWA/PHL

motnot

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Aug 20, 2002
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When it comes to AAI, many of us AWA followers think that''s a natural codeshare. And that really would open up the door for an expansion in PHL. However, there''s never been any industry talk of this codeshare happening.
AAI offers some non-stop Florida flights from PHL, plus plenty of one-stop service through ATL. With such a codeshare, plus AWA''s CMH service, you could get just about anywhere from PHL with one stop. And that makes AWA-AAI a real choice for someone in PHL. Then you simply can slowly and SAFELY grow by adding non-stops to supplement (and improve on) that one-stop service.
Of course, it''s easy to think things like this us. But there''s nothing to indicate that any of this will ever happen.
 
If AWA and AAI were to codeshare... And as you said, this is speculation because this rumor doesn't even exist... I would think ATL and BWI would be the focus, due to the connectivity. Not much connectivity at PHL, but PHL pax would have a range of options via AAI and AWA to the South and West.
 
Well, there definitely is a different corporate philosophy. AWA is a full-service carrier offering reasonable fares, while AAI offers some frills, but borrows much more from the LUV model, including the idea of serving secondary airports. And BWI is a secondary airport for WAS and PHL. AWA's current and future success comes from offering a similar product to the majors at a much better price.

PHL is where the action is at for AWA because, first and foremost, it's a high-yield city with little low-fare competition (and I don't see LUV going there any time soon). Also, in all-that-could-be scenarios, PHL is a potential jumping-off point for Europe. CMH can always remain a minihub.
 
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On 8/31/2002 7:14:36 PM

Well, there definitely is a different corporate philosophy. AWA is a full-service carrier offering reasonable fares, while AAI offers some frills, but borrows much more from the LUV model, including the idea of serving secondary airports. And BWI is a secondary airport for WAS and PHL. AWA's current and future success comes from offering a similar product to the majors at a much better price.


PHL is where the action is at for AWA because, first and foremost, it's a high-yield city with little low-fare competition (and I don't see LUV going there any time soon). Also, in all-that-could-be scenarios, PHL is a potential jumping-off point for Europe. CMH can always remain a minihub.
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IMO the "different corporate philosophy" between HP and FL has become minimal to virtually non-existent since HP became the first (and so far only) "full-service" major to come to its senses and scrap the irrational, hopelessly dysfunctional, unsustainable (grossly understated adjectives) pricing model that the others foolishly try to maintain. HP is also the first (and so far only) full-service major to define and implement a service product that customers are willing to pay for. That gives them considerable commonality with with FL and, at the least, would IMO make HP and FL a compatible partnership. IMO the "new" HP has far more in common with FL than it does with any of the so-called full-service majors.

My view of alliances and partnerships, however, remains highly skeptical. The net benefits to the airlines and consumers involved seem to be mostly airline-speak hype and spin while the considerable costs incurred seem to be deliberately ignored and/or grossly underestimated.
 
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On 8/31/2002 7:14:36 PM

AAI offers some frills, but borrows much more from the LUV model, including the idea of serving secondary airports. And BWI is a secondary airport for WAS and PHL.

No they don't. They kept all their flights into the clusterf**k(aka LGA b4 the slottery) and they have flights into almost every major airport on the East coast and midwest, save for DCA for slots, and ORD b/c MDW wasn't slot controlled when they started service.

I think that the two might actually be better off going it alone right now.