AirTran: The American Low Cost Carrier

AirTran is one of the biggest players in the low cost segment among airlines operating out of the United States. Its growth had been rapid since its inception, especially over the last decade or so. This was mainly due to some smart restructuring that took place from time to time and as there have been challenges due to the economic downturn in the country, the airline has done everything possible to survive and even sustain growth.

                            

Apart from the domestic sectors, the carrier also operates flights to international destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean. Millions of passengers have flown with the airline and the enterprise is quite appreciated for its customer service and timely operations. The airline’s aggressive push to introduce new routes in search of increased revenue ended up putting a strain on the resources of the company. Finally, in the year 2010, Southwest Airlines, another major player in the domestic low cost airline segment, acquired the airline.

This was a strategic acquisition by Southwest Airlines, as the enterprise now had access to the large number of resources as well as access routes owned by AirTran. The original entity still operates under the same brand name and though every customer is aware of the change in management, the passengers realize that there has been no change in the excellent services of the airline. The same attention to detail and the same commitment to customer service are seen even today and though there are some changes taking place to facilitate the merger, the core values of the airline remain the same.