Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-7H4 WL N944WN (msn 36659) (Free Bags Fly Here) FLL (Bruce Drum), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) and AirTran Airways (Orlando) released flight schedules for August 12, 2012, through September 28, 2012.

Southwest’s August and September schedules will offer 3,250 daily flights. AirTran’s schedules will offer more than 550 daily flights.

Starting with the Southwest side, WN is adding new nonstop service in nine roundtrip markets. WN will begin three weekday roundtrip flights between both Atlanta and Norfolk and between Atlanta and Louisville (note: these are not markets currently served by AirTran), as well as two weekday roundtrip flights between both St. Louis and New York (LaGuardia) and between St. Louis and San Antonio. With the additional flights, the daily departure count from St. Louis is up to 90. As WN continues the conversion of AirTran service and aircraft to the Southwest brand (after receiving a Single Operating Certificate), we’ll begin new nonstop SWA service that replaces existing service operated by AirTran between:

Atlanta-Seattle/Tacoma: one daily roundtrip
Denver-New York/LaGuardia: two daily roundtrips
Los Angeles-Milwaukee: two daily roundtrips
Milwaukee-New York/LaGuardia: two daily roundtrips (three additional remain on AirTran)
Milwaukee-Seattle/Tacoma: one daily roundtrip

Southwest will also add two more flights between Atlanta and Los Angeles, which will replace two AirTran flights. Milestones abound in this schedule, but one is particularly noteworthy: this marks the very first full city conversion, as Southwest will completely assimilate all AirTran service effective with this August 12 schedule.

Across the rest of the Southwest network, the total number of weekday departures declines from the summer high of 3,422 to 3,250, with a flat aircraft count. While WN increases frequency in seven roundtrip markets (in addition to the Atlanta-Los Angeles increase mentioned above), the airline will reduce nonstop service in 88 roundtrip markets from their summertime highs. WN will eliminate nonstop service in 11 roundtrip markets—some seasonal, some covered by existing AirTran service, and some that are simply no longer profitable in this high-cost environment. The nonstop markets being eliminated are:

Albuquerque-Lubbock
Albuquerque-Midland/Odessa
Albuquerque-Orlando
Baltimore/Washington-Seattle/Tacoma (seasonal)
Ft. Lauderdale-Kansas City (seasonal)
Houston/Hobby-Seattle/Tacoma (seasonal)
Indianapolis-Orlando (service remains on AirTran)
Jackson-Orlando
Jacksonville-Tampa Bay
Milwaukee-Tampa Bay (seasonal—service remains on AirTran)
San Diego-St. Louis (seasonal)

AirTran’s new August/September 2012 Schedule contains a pretty complex set of changes as well. Just like in the Southwest schedule, AirTran’s new schedule reflects the seasonal softening of customer demand as well as the need to “free up” aircraft to go through the conversion (painting) process, so FL will decrease systemwide daily departures from 680 on a typical Friday to 568, a reduction of 112. In addition to the market eliminations announced Friday here as well as the AirTran-to-Southwest conversions listed above, WN/FL are adjusting frequencies upwards in seven markets and downwards in 25 others. Seasonal summer nonstop service in the following 11 markets will be cancelled, although connecting service will continue to be available on either AirTran or Southwest:

Baltimore/Washington-Ft. Myers
Baltimore/Washington-New Orleans
Baltimore/Washington-San Francisco
Baltimore/Washington-Seattle/Tacoma
Charlotte-Orlando
Columbus-Ft. Lauderdale
Flint-Tampa Bay
Ft. Lauderdale-Indianapolis
Grand Rapids-Orlando
Grand Rapids-Tampa Bay
Rochester-Tampa Bay

WN/FL are also eliminating the double-daily roundtrip nonstops between Akron/Canton and Milwaukee and replacing them with two daily Akron/Canton-Chicago-Midway nonstops.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum.

AirTran Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Southwest Slide Show: CLICK HERE

AirTran Airways Boeing 717-2BD N950AT (msn 55012) (Little Debbie Cupcakes) BWI (Tony Storck), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) and its wholly owned subsidiary AirTran Airways (Orlando) have confirmed the intent to convert AirTran Airways operations at 22 domestic and international airports to Southwest operations over time.

The 22 AirTran airports that will continue to operate and will eventually join the Southwest route map include: Flint, Mich. (FNT); Rochester, N.Y. (ROC); Pensacola, Fla. (PNS); Charlotte, N.C. (CLT); Dayton, Ohio (DAY); Richmond, Va. (RIC); Key West, Fla. (EYW); Washington, D.C. (DCA); Memphis, Tenn. (MEM); Akron-Canton, Ohio (CAK); Wichita, Kan. (ICT); Des Moines, Iowa (DSM); Branson, Mo. (BKG); Portland, Maine (PWM); Grand Rapids, Mich. (GRR); Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (PUJ); Cancun, Mexico (CUN); Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ); Aruba (AUA); San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU); Bermuda (BDA); and Nassau, Bahamas (NAS). AirTran service and Employees at these airports are planned to convert to Southwest gradually over the course of AirTran’s integration into Southwest. The airlines earlier announced that AirTran will begin serving Mexico City, Mexico (MEX) on May 24, 2012, and San Jose Cabo, Mexico (SJD) on June 3, 2012. Those destinations also will convert to Southwest over time. Of the 69 cities AirTran served when Southwest acquired it on May 2, 2011, 53 cities are planned to convert to full Southwest Airlines service.

Effective August 12, 2012, AirTran Airways will cease operations at the following airports: Allentown, Pa. (ABE); Lexington, Ky. (LEX); Harrisburg, Pa. (MDT); Sarasota/Bradenton, Fla. (SRQ); Huntsville, Ala. (HSV); and White Plains, N.Y. (HPN).

AirTran currently operates six daily nonstop flights at Sarasota/Bradenton with 16 Employees. Its Allentown (one daily nonstop flight), Lexington (two daily nonstop flights), Harrisburg (one daily nonstop flight), Huntsville (two daily nonstop flights), and White Plains (three daily nonstop flights) operations are all supported by AirTran’s contracted vendor partners.

AirTran Airways will continue to operate at Allentown, Lexington, Harrisburg, Sarasota, Huntsville, and White Plains through August 11, 2012. Ticketed passengers, passengers holding reservations, or passengers desiring to make reservations for flights to or from these airports, have no need to alter their travel plans prior to August 12, 2012.

Both Southwest’s and AirTran’s priority is to take excellent care of the dedicated Employees, partners, and Customers in these six locations. AirTran Employees at these locations have performed superbly and will have the opportunity to move elsewhere within AirTran, after operations cease on August 12, 2012.

As of August 12, 2012, Southwest will offer 41 flights from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), becoming the first jointly served airport to fully convert to Southwest Airlines service. AirTran currently serves the market with one daily flight from SEA to Milwaukee (MKE) and seasonal service to both Atlanta (ATL) and Baltimore/Washington (BWI). Southwest will maintain the MKE, ATL, and BWI routes with direct and connecting service. Southwest and AirTran will announce future jointly served airport conversions as those specific plans are lined up.

Copyright Photo: Tony Storck. There is no official word on whether the AirTran special liveries will survive the switchover to Southwest. Even though Southwest has their own special schemes, it is not likely they will continue the AirTran special liveries.

AirTran Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-7H4 WL N224WN (msn 32493) (NBA-Slam Dunk One) BWI (Tony Storck), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) has announced plans to operate one new daily nonstop flight between Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport beginning on June 10, 2012 . This will be in addition to the three daily flights operated by AirTran Airways (Orlando), Southwest’s wholly-owned subsidiary.

Southwest will begin service to the Atlanta market on February 12, 2012, with 15 daily nonstop flights to five destinations:

Baltimore/Washington, Chicago Midway, Denver , Houston Hobby and Austin, Texas. Additionally, beginning on March 10, 2012, the carrier will add daily, roundtrip flights between Atlanta and Las Vegas and Atlanta and Phoenix.

With the addition of Atlanta to Southwest’s network next month, Southwest Airlines adds Georgia, the 38th State, to a route map of service to a total of 73 US airports, including Atlanta.

AirTran currently serves 52 cities nonstop from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, including international routes to Mexico and the Caribbean.

Copyright Photo: Tony Storck. Please click on the photo for additional information on this logojet.

Southwest Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-7H4 WL N918WN (msn 29843) (Illinois One) BWI (Tony Storck), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), representing 2,400 Flight Attendants at AirTran Airways (Orlando), announced a Seniority Integration and Transition Agreement with Southwest Airlines (Dallas), AirTran Airways and Transport Workers Union Local 556, which represents Southwest Flight Attendants.

The agreement outlines the full integration of AirTran Flight Attendants into Southwest as the two airlines merge. The agreement will be sent to Flight Attendants at both carriers for ratification.

AFA’s seniority integration policy promotes unity and protects a Flight Attendant’s years of service. This is the ideal as we recognize the contributions all Flight Attendants make to our careers. But, in merger such as this one between Southwest and Air Tran where Flight Attendants will not be represented by AFA once the merger integration is concluded, AFA has successfully lobbied for seniority protection under the law. Earlier this month AFA won a case before the federal court of appeals that confirms a Flight Attendants’ right to a fair and equitable process for seniority integration.

Air Tran AFA members will now decide whether to approve the tentative transition agreement that includes a seniority integration process or go to arbitration on the issue of seniority integration.

Copyright Photo: Tony Storck. Please click on the photo for additional information.

AirTran Airways Boeing 737-7BD WL N330AT (msn 36399) ATL (Jay Selman), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) and its wholly owned subsidiary AirTran Airways (Orlando) announced today the carriers have received route authority approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for AirTran to operate international flights to new destinations in Mexico beginning as early as May 24, 2012 . AirTran’s new international flights will include one daily roundtrip between Orange County, California, and Cabo San Lucas / San Jose del Cabo and one daily roundtrip between Orange County and Mexico City. AirTran also will initiate four weekly roundtrip flights between San Antonio and Cancun as well as one daily roundtrip flight between San Antonio and Mexico City.

To support the new international flights out of Orange County ‘s John Wayne International Airport, a market AirTran does not currently serve, AirTran will add domestic service between San Francisco and Orange County with one daily roundtrip flight, and one daily roundtrip flight between Las Vegas and Orange County, beginning June 3, 2012.

Copyright Photo: Jay Selman.

AirTran Slide Show: CLICK HERE

AirTran Airways Boeing 737-7BD WL N330AT (msn 36399) ATL (Jay Selman), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) and its wholly owned subsidiary, AirTran Airways (Orlando) have announced new destinations and nonstop routes as they extend their flight schedules for reservations from June 3, 2012 , through Auust. 10, 2012 (some flights begin as early as May 24, 2012 ). Southwest announced new Houston nonstop service and AirTran will add nonstop service between Ft. Lauderdale/ Hollywood and San Juan, Puerto Rico , as well as new Denver nonstop routes.

In addition, AirTran announced plans to expand its international presence with four new nonstop routes to Mexico : San Antonio to Cancun and Mexico City beginning on May 2012 , and Orange County, California to Cabo San Lucas and Mexico City beginning in June 2012 . This service is subject to government approval and is not yet for sale. Specific frequencies and fares for these international routes will be announced once the appropriate approvals are received. AirTran does not currently serve Orange County , so the future introduction of AirTran service to these markets is a direct benefit of Southwest’s acquisition of AirTran.

A quick view of the new service is listed below.

AirTran new service beginning May 24, 2012:

• Two daily roundtrip flights between Ft. Lauderdale/ Hollywood and San Juan

AirTran new service beginning June 3, 2012:

• One daily roundtrip flight between Denver and Akron – Canton
• One daily roundtrip flight between Denver and Dayton
• Two daily roundtrip flights between Denver and New York LaGuardia
• Two daily roundtrip flights between Baltimore/Washington and Los Angeles
• One daily roundtrip flight between Baltimore/Washington and New Orleans
• Two daily roundtrip flights between Baltimore/Washington and Seattle
• One daily roundtrip flight between Baltimore/Washington and San Francisco

Southwest new service beginning June 3, 2012:

• One daily roundtrip flight between Houston Hobby and Raleigh-Durham
• One daily roundtrip flight between Houston Hobby and Kansas City
• One daily roundtrip flight between Houston Hobby and Seattle
• One daily roundtrip flight between Chicago Midway and Oklahoma City

Copyright Photo: Jay Selman.

AirTran Slide Show: CLICK HERE

AirTran Airways Boeing 737-76N WL N278AT (msn 32665) LAS (Bruce Drum), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) has announced a seniority integration agreement has been ratified between the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association (SWAPA), the union representing Southwest Airlines Pilots, and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the union representing the pilots of AirTran Airways (Orlando). This agreement integrates the two groups’ seniority lists. SWAPA’s Board of Directors and ALPA’s Master Executive Council both approved the agreement in September, allowing the membership of each Pilot’s Union to review the proposed agreement and ultimately ratify. Southwest Airlines finalized closing of the acquisition of AirTran Holdings, Inc. on May 2, 2011.

According to the airline, “there is still work to be done to integrate the more than 6,000 Southwest Airlines Pilots, and 1,700 AirTran Pilots. Integration Teams made up of Pilots from both groups have already been formed and are moving forward in an effort to make the combining of the two groups as seamless as possible.”

The two carriers are still two separate airlines with two AOCs working towards a single operating certificate.

AirTran Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Southwest Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum.

AirTran Airways Boeing 737-7BD WL N354AT (msn 36725) (Georgia Aquarium-Dolphin 1) BWI (Tony Storck), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) has warned the pilots of subsidiary AirTran Airways (Orlando) it would consider keeping AirTran as a separate airline if the pilots of both airlines fail to agree on the plan to combine seniority lists.

According to this report by Bloomberg, “Southwest briefed its pilots on a Plan B for “separate and unintegrated” operations after that union declined to hold a membership election on a seniority proposal”.

Pilots of both airlines are voting on the proposal until November 7.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

AirTran Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Tony Storck. Please click on the photo for the aircraft details.