Airtran Sucks
I am currently in Atlanta, Georgia waiting for a flight to Milwaukee. It isn’t the flight I was suppose to be on… nope… my previous flight from Charlotte was delayed 45 minutes.
Lets go back to this past Thursday. The flight I took FROM Milwaukee was late too because the Pilot decided it was easier to just sit back than take off his 717 in the rain. Fedex’s 747 didn’t have much of an issue. Neither did an American Airlines plane. Or a Delta plane… So instead of having the front place in line, we went to the back of the line… and waited.
So our plane came in late, and came up to the terminal a few minutes after my connecting flight to Charlotte was to leave. Thank GOD that, get this, The Plane I was Transferring To Was Delayed so they managed to put me on that flight.
Oh, and the seats…. The seats on Airtran are the most uncomfortable things I have ever been in my life. I’m fine with coach seats, but these things feel like cardboard, there is no legroom, and I swear even a skinny person would feel scrunched.
Oh, and their “great” feature is that they have XM radio in every seat. When it works….
So OK, I’m never flying Airtran again. Well, I hope I won’t be. See, Airtran is trying to take over Midwest Airlines in Milwaukee. Hostile-takeover style. Milwaukee people don’t like this very much…
Here is something that you need to know about Midwest Airlines, it KICKS ASS. Comfortable seats (even their “budget” runs are great,) Milwaukee’s very own Altera coffee (yum,) and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies made on all afternoon-evening flights. The cookie thing sounds like a gimmick (and it is) but the cookies are great when you are exhausted from traveling. After packing, finding a ride to the airport, check baggage, security, expensive water/drinks, waiting for plane, in line to get on the plane it is amazing.
All of this is gone (well, they said they may keep the cookies just to prevent pissed-off Milwaukee people from attacking the plane crew) if that takeover happens.
If Milwaukee needs “budget” airlines we need Jet Blue, Southwest and maybe even Virgin America (pipe dream.) Those are companies that KNOW how to run a budget airline! Southwest is profitable (unlike Airtran,) the seats are way more comfortable, and the entire experience is so much better. Jet Blue’s president pulls out ads in big papers apologizing to customers when his company royally fucks up. Oh, and Jet Blue has XM too, because it has DirecTV IN EVERY SEAT (Virgin America is going to kick its ass though.)
And leave Midwest alone for christ’s sake…
July 30th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
As somebody who has flown Midwest Express on every single flight of my life, I’m going to incredibly sad if AirTran commandeers a great company.
The best thing as consumers we can do is never fly AirTran for now and make it clear that we won’t fly AirTran if they takeover.
Oh yeah, we can also sign a petition started by Midwest Airlines.
http://www.savethecookie.com/
Great website name….that cookie looks delicious.
July 30th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
Yup, already signed
August 16th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
Flights may be delayed because of the weather in your arriving destination. Airtran made a significant profit in the 2nd quarter of 2007 while Midwest was nearly flat and didnt even beat the most sub par of expectations. Midwest is finished, and if anyone wants to keep their jobs at Midwest, they better merge with Airtran instead of Northworst Airlines. IF NWA succeeds Milwaukee will suffer with 70% of the market controlled by NWA which will lead to higher prices. Be careful what you wish for…
August 18th, 2007 at 6:40 am
Flights MAY be delayed because of the weather, but the percentage of flights delayed throughout the entire system has skyrocketed over recent history.
Northwest is just funding part of this transaction, they have no control. The entire reason NW threw their money in is because they don’t want AirTran in Milwaukee.
The two still have to compete, but Northwest would be fucked if AirTran came in.
Anyone who thinks that Milwaukee is a market big enough to need as many flights as AirTran wants to add each day is crazy.
And remember, there are only 2 runways that Airtran’s main fleet can fly in/out of. If they start messing with Midwest Connect (whose fleet can fly into the shorter runways) AND add more flights with their normal fleet there are going to be MORE crazy delays. Also, MKE isn’t exactly known for the most efficient ground-control and all of the runways intersect each other at some point.