Impact of Southwest/Air Tran merger on Vegas region
Poll
| No votes (0%) | |||
 | 4 votes (80%) | ||
| | 1 vote (20%) |
5 members have voted
February 10th, 2011 at 3:42:02 PM
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Current Situation
Southwest does not add airports easily over the last four decades. Maximum was 7 airports in a year, and only four times have they added more than 3 airports in a year. They do not have a hub system, but of the 72 airports they serve the largest is Vegas with 224 flights/day to 55 nonstop destinations.
Merger
The merger with AirTran will give Southwest over 200 flights out of Atlanta, and significantly more flights in Milwaukee and Orlando. It will also give Southwest overnight 33 new domestic cities (including San Juan PR) plus and additional 5 foreign destinations in the Carribbean and Bahamas.
The overwhelming majority of the new cities will be East of the Mississippi river. Presumably they will give up flights to Dallas Fort Worth since they have refused to give up Dallas love field.
AirTran domestic cities which are not on the current Southwest Airline grid (in order of decreasing size of the airport).
Foreign airports are Cancun-Mexico, Aruba-Netherlands Antilles, Nassau-Bahamas, Montego Bay-Jamaica, and Punta Cana-Dominican Republic.
For their recent entrance into Newark Airport which will occur next month, Southwest chose 6 airports (3 flights apiece) but no nonstops to Vegas. However, connections will now be available.
Do you think this dramatic increase in cities in the Southwest network will make a big difference in tourism into Vegas?
Southwest does not add airports easily over the last four decades. Maximum was 7 airports in a year, and only four times have they added more than 3 airports in a year. They do not have a hub system, but of the 72 airports they serve the largest is Vegas with 224 flights/day to 55 nonstop destinations.
Merger
The merger with AirTran will give Southwest over 200 flights out of Atlanta, and significantly more flights in Milwaukee and Orlando. It will also give Southwest overnight 33 new domestic cities (including San Juan PR) plus and additional 5 foreign destinations in the Carribbean and Bahamas.
The overwhelming majority of the new cities will be East of the Mississippi river. Presumably they will give up flights to Dallas Fort Worth since they have refused to give up Dallas love field.
AirTran domestic cities which are not on the current Southwest Airline grid (in order of decreasing size of the airport).
| Locid | City | ST |
|---|---|---|
| ATL | Atlanta | GA |
| DFW | Dallas/Fort Worth | TX |
| CLT | Charlotte | NC |
| MIA | Miami | FL |
| DCA | Arlington | VA |
| MEM | Memphis | TN |
| SJU | San Juan | PR |
| RIC | Highland Springs | VA |
| ROC | Rochester | NY |
| DAY | Dayton | OH |
| HPN | White Plains | NY |
| GRR | Grand Rapids | MI |
| PWM | Portland | ME |
| DSM | Des Moines | IA |
| TYS | Alcoa | TN |
| ICT | Wichita | KS |
| CAK | Akron | OH |
| PNS | Pensacola | FL |
| SRQ | Sarasota/Bradenton | FL |
| MDT | Harrisburg | PA |
| HSV | Huntsville | AL |
| ACY | Atlantic City | NJ |
| PHF | Newport News | VA |
| FNT | Flint | MI |
| MLI | Moline | IL |
| LEX | Lexington | KY |
| GPT | Gulfport | MS |
| SGF | Springfield | MO |
| ABE | Allentown | PA |
| AVL | Asheville | NC |
| BMI | Bloomington/Normal | IL |
| CRW | Charleston | WV |
| EYW | Key West | FL |
Foreign airports are Cancun-Mexico, Aruba-Netherlands Antilles, Nassau-Bahamas, Montego Bay-Jamaica, and Punta Cana-Dominican Republic.
For their recent entrance into Newark Airport which will occur next month, Southwest chose 6 airports (3 flights apiece) but no nonstops to Vegas. However, connections will now be available.
Do you think this dramatic increase in cities in the Southwest network will make a big difference in tourism into Vegas?
February 10th, 2011 at 4:15:52 PM
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No, it won't make all that much difference, because airfare is only one component of the expense of a Vegas vacation. I assume most visitors from the East aren't weekenders, i.e., they stay for several consecutive days, so hotel costs are by far the major expense for them. Southwest would offer better prices, presumably, than the existing options, but the savings would only amount to what a person would pay for one night in a Strip megatoilet, if that. So I don't see the cost difference as enough to convince someone to come to Vegas when they otherwise wouldn't have.
I definitely think that quite a few existing travelers will switch to Southwest, simply because they don't charge luggage fees or ticket change penalties.
I definitely think that quite a few existing travelers will switch to Southwest, simply because they don't charge luggage fees or ticket change penalties.
The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.---George Bernard Shaw
February 10th, 2011 at 4:31:55 PM
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Quote: mkl654321I definitely think that quite a few existing travelers will switch to Southwest, simply because they don't charge luggage fees or ticket change penalties.
Southwest is taking 43% of the domestic traffic at Vegas airport, while Delta is in second place with 12%.
With Southwest as a major player in Atlanta competing with Delta, and in Charlotte competing with USAirways, and in Miami competing with American, I think there is a good chance that Southwest will overtake 50% of the Vegas market.
February 10th, 2011 at 4:38:26 PM
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I don't think the merger will have much of an impact on Vegas. People have always wanted to go to Vegas and will get there any way they can.
However, the merger is definitely going to force me to change airlines. I have flown Airtran for years. Any flight longer than an hour or two I always fly business class because I am 6'4'' and 240. Last minute upgrades were readily available and reasonable. And Friday AM flights from Atlanta to Vegas are almost always overbooked and they end up offering 1 or 2 round trip tickets if you will get on a later flight. You start your trip a winner! As soon as Southwest eliminates business class on the Airtran routes they are taking over, I'll have to find a new airline.
However, the merger is definitely going to force me to change airlines. I have flown Airtran for years. Any flight longer than an hour or two I always fly business class because I am 6'4'' and 240. Last minute upgrades were readily available and reasonable. And Friday AM flights from Atlanta to Vegas are almost always overbooked and they end up offering 1 or 2 round trip tickets if you will get on a later flight. You start your trip a winner! As soon as Southwest eliminates business class on the Airtran routes they are taking over, I'll have to find a new airline.
February 10th, 2011 at 8:59:52 PM
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It's funny how this airline has grown. For ten years they only flew inside of Texas, and primarily to secondary airports. After the marriage they will service all but 8 of the 65 largest airports in the USA which control 89% of enplanements in the USA.
Cincinnati, Hawaii and Alaska will be the only regions in the country not served by Southwest Airlines.
Post merger 8 domestic airports not served by Southwest. Alternative airports are shown.
ANC : Anchorage
HNL : Honolulu
OGG : Kahului
CVG : Greater Cincinnati - Dayton (63 miles); Lexington (70 miles); Louisville (83 miles); Indianapolis (98 miles)
Cities served by alternative airport
JFK : New York - LaGuardia (10 miles); Newark (21 miles); Long Island (36 miles)
ORD : Chicago - Midway (16 miles)
DFW : Fort Worth - Love Field (12 miles)
IAH : Houston - Hobby (23 miles)
Cincinnati, Hawaii and Alaska will be the only regions in the country not served by Southwest Airlines.
Post merger 8 domestic airports not served by Southwest. Alternative airports are shown.
ANC : Anchorage
HNL : Honolulu
OGG : Kahului
CVG : Greater Cincinnati - Dayton (63 miles); Lexington (70 miles); Louisville (83 miles); Indianapolis (98 miles)
Cities served by alternative airport
JFK : New York - LaGuardia (10 miles); Newark (21 miles); Long Island (36 miles)
ORD : Chicago - Midway (16 miles)
DFW : Fort Worth - Love Field (12 miles)
IAH : Houston - Hobby (23 miles)
