[airplanegod]

Southwest Airlines has agreed to take over Airtran. I REALLY do hope they keep the Boeing 717. At least now though no more baggage fees from Airtran!

[jimworcs]

They have stated categorically that they intend to keep all 86 of the 717's to serve markets which couldn't support the larger 737s and for the first time will operate a mixed fleet. However, AirTran customers can say goodbye to a two class cabin...hopefully, it will shake up Delta in Atlanta and have some positive impact on that nightmare monolith.

[Jetliner]

Just for the record this will be the second time they have operated a mixed fleet. They flew some 727's for a few years in the 70's. Didn't last long.

I don't think they will keep the 717's for more than a few years. They are going to have to fly them for a while since it's part of the package and with the expansion plans they want, they will have to use them. They can't just replace them overnight, so it will be a few years.

I can tell you too that the folks in Delta's boardroom all had to do a change of underwear this morning. They've been able to keep AirTran at bay for a few years now, but this is certainly a game changer.

[Butch Cassidy Slept Here]

I hope labor troubles, of the US Airways - America West kind, don't result. Southwest has spent decades building-up a decent image. Customer hating staff, spurred on by labor unrest, could destroy that image in a matter of months.

In a year or so I guess Atlanta Airport will be something like Darth Vader's house: The Southwest side--and the DARK SIDE!

[Jetliner]

It's hard to say what's going to happen. From what I'm gathering the Air Tran flight attendants and pilots are happy has can be. There is some concern about how they will fall in seniority. When American bought TWA some (if not all) of the employees were tacked on to the bottom of the list, so they kept their same seniority amongst other TWA folks, but all went after the AA folks.

One of the potential problems is the ground staff and reservationists who are not currently union. Although they are trying, and may have it in it time. As I understand it, if they have no union then SW will essentially say here's a job application, lot's of luck. With a union, they can at least negotiate. But TWA was union as well.

But, SW doesn't exactly like a lot of bad press, so I'd say things will work out. It wouldn't look too good if they bought Air Tran and then screwed over the employees.