AirTran's XM satellite radio service to be removed

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By Kelly Yamanouchi

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

AirTran Airways flights will soon lose a feature enjoyed by many passengers: XM satellite radio.

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Terri Hanson, Central Images In February 2005, AirTran Airways promoted its XM Radio service with an Elton John decal on this plane..

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The move comes as Dallas-based Southwest Airlines folds AirTran's operations into its own after acquiring AirTran earlier this year. As part of the acquisition, Southwest will begin flying to Atlanta next year and after the operations are integrated, the combined carrier will be called Southwest.

Southwest's chief commercial officer Bob Jordan, who also serves as president of AirTran, told employees in a recorded message Monday that the airline decided to remove the satellite radio service from the AirTran fleet of planes to offer "a consistent product" between Southwest and AirTran.

"I can assure you that this decision is not one that was entered into lightly," Jordan said in the message.

He said removing the satellite radio equipment from planes will decrease weight and reduce fuel costs.

The satellite radio equipment will be completely removed from the planes by Feb. 28.

The fate of the XM service was one of the questions some frequent fliers had when Southwest acquired AirTran. AirTran has had satellite radio as its in-flight entertainment since 2005, and was the first airline to offer satellite radio. It celebrated the launch of the in-flight XM service at an event in Las Vegas with Elton John.