Air Tran Airbus?

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20 years 11 months

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I thought Air Tran were commited to a large 717 order,
I haven't heard anything about an airbus order , can anybody fill in the blanks?

Original post

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,279

It is wet leased from Ryan International. Used on the Los Angeles to Las Vegas route.
They are pleased with the 717s but would like a larger aircraft therefore either the Boeing 737NG or Airbus A319 are probably in the running I am lead to believe. Remember hearing about their needs for the 717-300?

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24 years 2 months

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AirTran don't fly into LAX. I can't confirm if this is also true of LAS.

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20 years 10 months

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Hold on i thought ryan international is airtran?

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24 years 2 months

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AirTran is AirTran, they used to be Valujet.

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,279

No sorry, but they do operate from LAS and LAX to Atlanta. These services are operated by their partner Ryan International.

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,491

Airtran.com definitely says they fly to Los Angeles on services operated by Ryan International. Whether they meant LAX or some other airport isn't clear.

AirTran seem to be fed up with Boeing after the 717-300 debate. It's not as if the 737NG will give them any fleet commonality benefits anyway, and Airbus are famous for the hard sell to gain market share.

Do you think they'll join the Airbus club?

PS - just saw "effective October 4, 2003" at the bottom of their route map. Maybe LA services haven't actually started yet?

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,279

No it is currently operating since June 4th. From the reservation system:
Mon, 09 Jun 03
Flight 2
Operated by Ryan Int'l Airlines
12:30 pm depart Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
7:50 pm arrive Atlanta, GA (ATL)
****************************
I wouldn't be surprised with either the A319 or 737NG. The 717-300 was never a set option, they said they would like it if Boeing would create it, but the 737-700 or A319 was also an option for the longer distance and extra capacity flights that could be coming.

As it becomes increasingly unlikely that Boeing will create the 717-300 I would say that, whichever manufacturer would offer them the best deal has the edge. Airbus could offer a good deal on the A319 with prices and operating costs, but as a Boeing customer with the 717 I think they would be giving them an equal chance. The 737 has the reliability and again the performance needed plus AirTran have debt loans with Boeing do they not? Could that be a possible reason with restructuring them?

I would think possibly more 717s as they have been popular and sufficient with the airline, plus the 737? Just my opinion...

Member for

24 years 2 months

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So these planes are in full AirTran colours, even though they're operated by RyanINTL crews, apparantly. Perhaps AirTran have a more marketable name than does RyanINTL, even though RyanINTL has been around longer.

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24 years 2 months

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as far as I'm aware, they're on a 12 month lease or something, because the 717 dosen't have the range required to fly from Atlanta to LAX.

Could the operated by Ryan International to be with it being their crew or something thorough a wet lease?

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,956

I would think so. Even on LAX's website, it has the flight listed only once with an AirTran flight number, with "operated by Ryan International" next to it. Ryan International themselves, however, do not have a flight listing. Usually on a typical codeshare, the operator's flight number along with any parter's flight number that codeshares on the flight, will all be listed.