AirTran leaving Charleston in December
By Ashley Fletcher Frampton
aframpton@scbiznews.com
Published Oct. 9, 2009
AirTran Airways, Charleston’s only low-cost carrier, will end local service on Dec. 3.
The airline’s decision was prompted by the lack of business travelers, said Christopher White, an AirTran spokesman.
“The overall number of passengers has always been very good in Charleston,” White said. “But we were not able to capture enough business travelers.”
AirTran relies on the right mix of business and leisure travelers, White said. Leisure travelers typically book tickets in advance and at lower rates, making last-minute business passengers important to the airline’s business model.
“We’re constantly looking at our routes and our station, and even though the airport and the convention and visitors bureau and the local community have greatly supported AirTran, we are just not able to capture enough of the business traveling public,” White said.
AirTran has operated at the Charleston International Airport since May 2007 and has four daily flights to Atlanta.
The airline told local airport officials this week of its decision to leave.
“We have had discussion with them over the past several months about their concern that, despite good load factors, they weren’t able to make any money,” said David Jennings, chairman of the Charleston County Aviation Authority. “In fact, they say they are losing money.”
AirTran’s summer flights were about 80% full, Jennings said.
White said he could not talk about load factors — the percentage of available seats sold — but he said the airline also looks at passenger mix.
The economic slowdown has led some companies to cut back on business travel, or to cut it out altogether, White said.
He said AirTran would reconsider its operations in Charleston if conditions change.
Officials say the departure likely means that fares for other flights leaving Charleston International Airport will rise.
The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce has said that AirTran’s presence has significantly reduced the cost of tickets on other airlines operating here. Chamber officials said this past spring that since AirTran began service in Charleston, the region collectively had saved an estimated $71 million in air travel costs.
The chamber had asked businesses to commit at least 20% of their air travel budgets to AirTran to ensure its continued presence in Charleston.
“I think it’s a reasonable assumption that AirTran leaving the market will cause prices to rise,” said Jennings, of the aviation authority. “But we are in constant contact with other low-cost carriers, and we are optimistic now that word is out that AirTran is interrupting service that what have heretofore been casual conversations with other carriers will get a little more serious.”
Reach Ashley Fletcher Frampton at 843-849-3129.
Comments:
Added:
3 Nov 2009
My family and employees drive to Charleston to fly Airtran from Columbia. AND OUR BUSINESS IS AT THE COLUMBIA AIRPORT!!!!!!!!
robert tedford
Added:
20 Oct 2009
I'm extremely shocked and disappointed by the news of Airtran leaving Charleston. My family is in Dallas, and we have depended on Airtran to get us to and from there at an affordable price for the last two years. The price increases and route maps from the other airlines out of Charleston are going to make it extremely expensive, dollar and time-wise, at a time when the economy is taking it's toll anyway.
Southwest Airlines out of Dallas is a wonderful airline. I hope Charleston can pursue them to fill the spot Airtran is leaving. The Charleston board needs to act on this with priority and urgency.
Tina Marzuola
Added:
12 Oct 2009
This is a great disappointment! Now we will have to go all the way to Savannah to get on AirTran. Forget Myrtle Beach, it's always overpriced and overbooked. What a bummer!
Come on Charleston, let's please try to keep AirTran in Charleston somehow.
p.s. the font is really, really hard to read in this article!
Sissy
Added:
13 Oct 2009
I think that airtran should stay open in charlston because many people like me rely on airtrans small price to get to ther destination.I dont think it should close down
Morgan c oliver
Added:
9 Oct 2009
My AirTran flights have always been full. If they are not making enough money because of the higher mix of vacation travelers, then fares should be raised to compensate. Before AirTran, we were paying $700 to fly to Atlanta. We didn't have to go from $700 to $70 to be happy. Passengers, tourist and business, will pay something in between. AirTran, please, please, please give us a chance with higher fares. Don't just pull out altogether!
Please help everyone. We worked so hard to get AirTran. Can't we do something to keep them here?
Mary Goode
Added:
9 Oct 2009
That is very unfortunate news!
Bill B
Added:
20 Oct 2009
I too was shocked when I heard the news that AirTran was leaving the Charleston market. I had just returned from a trip to LA and was planning yet another one to Denver.
This surely means rates will rise unless we get another low cost carrier.
Let's be sure to be supportive of any plans to attract another airline.
Marsha Hassell
Added:
21 Oct 2009
Southwest announced new service to Panama City today when their new airport opens in May 2010.
Recently there have been several rumors about Southwest coming to Charleston. Airtran moved from the A1 gate to the B side a month back, then announces they are leaving Charleston in Dec of this year.
Southwest window shops cities looking for potential new destinations, but I will be shocked (although very happy) if Southwest flies into Charleston. Southwest was in Charleston about two months ago, looking at Charleston once again.
Let's compare the Charleston Airport with other airports in towns the size of Charleston, and it's clear the Charleston County Aviation Authority (CCAA)is out of touch with reality.
The airport terminal is very hip if you're stuck in the 1970's with little to no upgrades for the passengers who fly into and out of the airport. (Hence the reason the terminal was built.)
The food concessions are pathetic to say the least. The bagel shop on the A Concourse is marginally acceptable, but the B Concourse is pathetic.
Charleston has a nice parking garage, but could you get three clean, healthy restaurants? One outside the TSA, and one inside the TSA security for both the A and B Gates? Is this really that difficult?
I wonder if David Jennings ever spent four or five hours at the Charleston Airport without a car waiting on a flight that was delayed due to weather? I have and trust me, Charleston's Airport terminal gets an F compared to Boise, ID, Tucson, AZ, Ft Myers, FL and other cities close to the same metropolitan size of Charleston.
How about updating the seating areas with places to charge a phone, or laptop?
Has David Jennings ever tried to charge his laptop while waiting on a flight where the passengers sit? I travel through the airport twice a week and have never seen anyone ever take a poll or a survey passengers on what the passengers would like. Imagine that, taking inputs from customers who pay for your product and keep you employed? What a novel concept!
My personal opinion, if Charleston wants Southwest service, then someone other than the Charleston County Airport Authority (CCAA) needs to take the lead. The CCAA isn't leading.
Here's a David Jennings quote to illustrate my point.
David Jennings said “But we are in constant contact with other low-cost carriers, and we are optimistic now that word is out that AirTran is interrupting service that what have heretofore been casual conversations with other carriers will get a little more serious.”
Trust me Mr. Jennings, Gary Kelly, CEO of Southwest isn't impressed with casual conversations. He's busy leading a company that has never furloughed one employee, or posted a yearly lost. Rare feat for an airline.
Gary Kelly, Southwest Airlines CEO stated "We have been overwhelmed by the amount of energy that Panhandle residents have put on Southwest Airlines to start service to that area," he said.
Look what Panama City and St Joe did to help lure Southwest. I don't see that effort from the CCAA, and hence I don't see Southwest service in Charleston.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/102209dnbussouthwestpanama.23b274d27.html
http://thebeachfla.com/news_details.php?id=24
http://www.northescambia.com/?p=11770
Has anyone in or near Charleston seen any effort to have a spearheaded effort to attract Southwest to Charleston like the communities in Panama City, Pensacola, and Greenville have done?
All I see or don't see is David Jenning's on a plaque at the airport and nothing more, but maybe it's just me.
Sorry David Jenning's but I have to call a spade a spade, and I don't see any leadership from you to get Southwest into Charleston.
John
Added:
9 Oct 2009
This is quite unforatunate. As a frequent traveler to Dallas, I dumped Delta for Airtran being able to upgrade to business. This SUCKS!
ilsrwy15
Added:
9 Oct 2009
Please put all of your efforts into bringing Southwest Airlines here! They are a much better company than AirTran and have the potential to open a whole new market to the Charleston area... direct flights to Baltimore, Nashville,etc. NOT JUST ATLANTA!
DisgruntledFF#1
Added:
12 Oct 2009
I would love to see Southwest start traveling to and from Charleston!!
Paige
Added:
9 Oct 2009
If Rep.William Murtha can get millions of taxpayers dollars for his little Pennsylvania regional airport then what is our South Carolina Congressional delegation doing wrong? Rep. Jim Clyburn should be all over this one as his "corridor of shame" constituents will be affected by this as well as the democratic majority here in Charleston County. Lets not forget our service men and women who also will be adversley affected in a time when they can least afford it. Its time for all of South Carolina's delegation in Washington, both Republican & Democrat to get their butts in gear and keep Air Trans in Charleston.
John Robinson
Added:
27 Oct 2009
Lets not forget that SWA ownes a gate at CHS. But more important is the amount of Cargo in and out of CHS> This is huge for airlines such as SWA, Should SWA come into Charleston I say we have a Parade down King Street for them. What ever it takes, we cannot get in or out of CHS the way it is now. Time to wake up team before it is to late. Start writting letters to Dallas SWA and tell them how much we would LUV to have them in our community.
skot
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