Frequent Flyer Movement Takes on Southwest Airline’s Unseating of AirTran Passengers

Oct. 28, 2010 - PRLog -- Atlanta, GA  -- Southwest Airlines’s $1.4 billion takeover of AirTran Airways hit consumer turbulence as AirTran’s most frequent flyers banded together in a campaign to save assigned seating and business class. The group launched AirTranSOS.com last week in a “SOS: Save Our Seats” campaign designed to keep some of AirTran’s best attributes a part of the Southwest acquisition. The campaign quickly attracted hundreds of like-minded travelers threatening to take their business to another carrier unless Southwest preserves the best aspects of AirTran in the combined carrier.

Unlike previous passenger movements in the wake of airline acquisitions, the AirTranSOS.com group does not seek to block the acquisition. The consumer group simply asks Southwest on the organization’s website to “combine the best of Southwest with the best of AirTran” pleading with the airline to “save AirTran’s assigned seats, business class seats, in-seat Wi-Fi / XM Radio, and frequent flyer seats to anywhere in the world.”

Southwest posted at www.lowfaresfarther.com that it was their intention to eliminate assigned seating and business class when the airlines integrated. In press interviews since that statement both airlines have underlined the “intention” portion of that proposition, but have not retracted the original statement despite strong consumer calls to the contrary. After the acquisition is completed, the combined Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways would feature a combined fleet complete with 25% of the aircraft already configured with business class and assigned seating capabilities.

In a twist of irony, the AirTranSOS.com website uses AirTran’s own video commercial against Southwest. The commercial depicts Southwest passengers dressed as cows with carry-on luggage being herded in the airline’s trademark “cattle call” in zones A, B, and C fighting their way down the jet way. The commercial features an AirTran passenger comfortably seated in business class being served a drink. The AirTran passenger looks out the window and shakes her head at the confused Southwest passenger “cattle” lost without seats on the tarmac. The commercial ends with the AirTran logo as the announcer says, “Skip the stampede. AirTran Airways. Assigned seats, business class, and Wi-Fi on every flight.”

The AirTranSOS.com movement started on Randy Peterson’s FlyerTalk.com with outrage from passengers protective of AirTran’s low-cost, premium service product. AirTran’s Facebook page was immediately flooded with scores of comments critical of Southwest’s boarding policies and lack of business class. AirTran has repeatedly responded to customers on Facebook encouraging customers to wait and see what the proposed acquisition brings.

“This is simply a campaign begging Southwest Airlines to keep the best of AirTran Airways alive. The Southwest spirit is phenomenal, but the airline can reach new heights by taking the best of AirTran’s in-
flight product with assigned seats, business class, and Wi-Fi,” AirTranSOS.com spokesperson Joe Leader stated. “No one should have to fight for a seat on-board an aircraft. Families and colleagues should be able to sit together. Business professionals and passengers of size should be able to upgrade to a seat that accommodates them with dignity.” Leader is an AirTran Elite member that has earned hundreds of free flights and was featured years ago in AirTran’s in-flight magazine as the airline’s most frequent flyer. The airline assigned Leader the frequent flyer number ending “00000001” and even provided free lifetime flight privileges to his dog named “AirTran” in honor of the airline when she was rescued in Atlanta from the Small Dog Rescue and Humane Society.

The economic impact of Southwest removing AirTran’s business class could be tremendous. A recent economic impact study by Brian Campbell of Campbell-Hill Aviation Group indicated that Delta increased fares by as much as 78% after AirTran exited a market. AirTran’s presence forces major airline to match their aggressively priced business class product in nearly 70 markets. “AirTran’s business class product has set them apart in the low cost carrier industry,” InterFlight Global Corporate founding partner Oscar Garcia stated. “The removal of those business class seats ultimately could cost American consumers millions of dollars per year if major airlines ratchet back up first-class prices to historic first-class levels.”

The AirTran SOS campaign follows a tradition of successful airline protection campaigns based in Atlanta. In 2003, a passenger-created movement called SaveSkyMiles.com also forced Delta to bend to passenger demands after a 734 day campaign that solicited thousands of Delta SkyMiles members with billions of miles. In 2006, Delta’s employee-created and passenger-backed movement “Keep Delta My Delta” successfully helped fend off a 2006 takeover attempt of the airline by US Airways. The AirTranSOS campaigned vowed to continue their campaign in good faith until Southwest agrees to keep the best, passenger-friendly seat attributes of AirTran a part of the proposed combined carrier.

About Us the AirTranSOS.com Consumer Group: The AirTranSOS.com consumer group is committed to encouraging Southwest Airlines to preserve the best attributes of AirTran Airways: assigned seats, business class seats, in-seat Wi-Fi / XM Radio, and frequent flyer seats to anywhere in the world. The campaign is soliciting help from frequent flyers, business leaders, and communities to make two great airlines even greater. Please sign up at www.AirTranSOS.com using the contact form.

Disclaimer: The AirTranSOS.com group is not associated in any way with Southwest Airlines or AirTran Airways. It is a consumer advocacy website expressing the opinion of concerned frequent flyers via noncommercial fair use of the marks under the First Amendment. All marks remain the property of their respective owners.

Press Contacts: AirTranSOS.com: (678) 404-0445, contact@AirTranSOS.com
Interflight Global Corporation: (305) 400-6789, IFG@interflightglobal.com

Contact:
Joe Leader
AirTranSOS.com
Atlanta, GA
(678) 404-0445
contact@AirTranSOS.com
http://www.airtransos.com