Southwest taking over more AirTran flights

By Kelly Yamanouchi

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Southwest Airlines is continuing plans to transition AirTran Airways' operation into Southwest this fall by taking over more flights from AirTran.

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SWA, SWA As of October, Southwest will operate 33 flights from Atlanta and AirTran will operate 152 flights.

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As of October, Southwest will operate 33 flights from Atlanta and AirTran will operate 152 flights. Dallas-based Southwest started flying to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport earlier this month, after acquiring Orlando-based AirTran last year. AirTran has its largest hub in Atlanta.

Southwest is operating AirTran as a subsidiary and plans to gradually take over the airline's service by 2015. It also plans to dismantle AirTran's connecting hub, focusing instead on travelers going to and from Atlanta.

As part of the shift, Southwest will begin flying from Atlanta to San Francisco in the fall, replacing AirTran service on the route. And, AirTran's two daily flights from Atlanta to Phoenix will be discontinued, leaving two daily Southwest flights on the route to convert the route to all Southwest service.

AirTran's Atlanta-Seattle route, which is being converted to Southwest service in August, will be seasonally discontinued in the fall.

Meanwhile, Southwest last week raised many of its round-trip domestic fares by $10, a move matched by other airlines. Carriers have been increasing fares while citing high fuel costs.