Spirit rolls on

I know Spirit thinks that they don't compete with any airlines, that they compete with Greyhound, but I don't think Delta will be happy with this...
They are head to head with Frontier. This announcement comes weeks after Frontier announced flying in ATL.
 
They are head to head with Frontier. This announcement comes weeks after Frontier announced flying in ATL.

This is also happening in CLE. Frontier seems to run away though as soon as some other competition moves in, they have already canceled or reduced flights out of CLE not long after Spirit moved in. Frontier is looking at opening an east coast base late this year, ATL might be a possibility.... if they don't run.

Pretty much any EV employee commuting to Detroit.

Maybe they should stop commuting from ATL then, especially if they live there and can hold a line.
 
I see what you're trying to do...

Ever think that someone may be able to hold a better, even commutable, line by being based in DTW?

Also, consider for a moment the numerous flight attendants that commute to Detroit from locations besides Atlanta (CHA, PNS, GPT, CAE, and other small marker cities) that may flow through Atlanta to get to Detroit - since, well - they hold a line in DTW instead of commuting to reserve.

Sorry if I hit a nerve.
 
There's definitely a void that they can fill in Atlanta. SWA is definitely not the low fare airline that they want people to believe that they are, and they're struggling in Atlanta. A good article written by Terry Maxon of the Dallas Morning News talking about SWA's struggles in Atlanta: http://www.dallasnews.com/business/...s-campaign-aims-to-boost-atlanta-business.ece
I have never understood the Southwest shtick and have yet find a trip where they were the cheaper option. I'm honestly surprised they have lasted this long at ROC.
 
Not always the cheapest but if we are going to buy tix it's almost always on Swa, the change policy is worth the extra price. There is no other airline where I can call 1/2 hr prior to departure and change/cancel my (usually wife's) flight and not have that money disappear into fees.
 
I have never understood the Southwest shtick and have yet find a trip where they were the cheaper option. I'm honestly surprised they have lasted this long at ROC.

Due to my travel, I know the ATL-SJU route and IF you buy in advance, and can travel on a Tuesday or Thursday, you can get a SWA ticket for 1/3 the price of DL. But you have to know you're going a month in advance and travel on an off day.
 
Sprit's CEO is former US, a higher up guy in route planning or something. During the bankruptcies there was some strong evidence he was sabotaging the airline, putting the wrong equipment on city pairs. The union brought this up and he soon left, and went to start up Spirit.

What a F'ed up industry.

I'd like to see AA go to a high end market like Delta, but then the cattle class be similar to Spirit. Only way you'll check the ULCC growth, look at RyanAir, they've decimated the European legacies.

Of note is RyanAir apparently hires its pilots on contract, something that will probably make its way over here soon enough.
 
I'd like to see AA go to a high end market like Delta, but then the cattle class be similar to Spirit. Only way you'll check the ULCC growth, look at RyanAir, they've decimated the European legacies.

Actually they haven't as much as the likes of the Middle East Carriers have.

Of note is RyanAir apparently hires its pilots on contract, something that will probably make its way over here soon enough.

Doubtful. I think JetBlue was under that scheme but then they unionized stopping that trend.
 
Actually they haven't as much as the likes of the Middle East Carriers have.



Doubtful. I think JetBlue was under that scheme but then they unionized stopping that trend.

No one ever had their contract "not renewed" as far as I can tell.

I think it was just a fancy way of saying they have a 5-year "employee performance" review.

In healthcare, certain folks get an annual written review put in their personnel file as part of condition of employment.

Heck, that's even something my old 135 shop implemented.
 
They are head to head with Frontier. This announcement comes weeks after Frontier announced flying in ATL.

That is a dangerous game to be playing. This head to head bull crap is what got this industry in trouble after deregulation. Would Spirit management be stupid enough to play this game? Absolutely. However...

If anything, I think Spirit and Frontier may be positioning themselves that when/if they do merge they are creating overlap (such as in ATL) to play the DOJ merger approval game. They are in a sense creating overlap so when they merge, it appears they are 'working with' the DOJ if one of them brings down a route out of ATL rather than give up a more lucrative one.


There's definitely a void that they can fill in Atlanta. SWA is definitely not the low fare airline that they want people to believe that they are, and they're struggling in Atlanta. A good article written by Terry Maxon of the Dallas Morning News talking about SWA's struggles in Atlanta: http://www.dallasnews.com/business/...s-campaign-aims-to-boost-atlanta-business.ece

Not sure how big that void is. Say one wants to go from BUF to TPA now. Before, with AirTran, if they didn't get a nonstop from BUF to MCO, they would go through ATL creating an artificial bolster of that hub. Now, they are looking to go from BUF to MCO and they have to connect, that traffic is still there, but being brought through BWI.
 
That is a dangerous game to be playing. This head to head bull crap is what got this industry in trouble after deregulation. Would Spirit management be stupid enough to play this game? Absolutely. However...

If anything, I think Spirit and Frontier may be positioning themselves that when/if they do merge they are creating overlap (such as in ATL) to play the DOJ merger approval game. They are in a sense creating overlap so when they merge, it appears they are 'working with' the DOJ if one of them brings down a route out of ATL rather than give up a more lucrative one.
That's a good theory. It is surprising that either would try to go up against Southern Jets and SWA in ATL.
 
I think WN will find their niche in ATL. They will never be a dominant force. It will end up being a big station kinda like LAX or BNA, but never a MDW as the article was alluding to.

Spirit and Frontier are competing with the car and the bus. I flew spirit once. Never again unless I am commuting or traveling by myself and they are a last resort. You can't compare their product to either DL or WN for that matter.
 
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