I was a somewhat early adopter of Airtran starting with some flights in the late 1990’s and for a variety of reasons, the airline just worked for me.  No one would describe Airtran as having a luxurious service product but, somehow, it was a service product that found a fan base.

Now there are many Airtran Fans who are lamenting the merger between Airtran and Southwest Airlines and what it means for Business Class.  Right now, it means it’ll be going away. 

I think that’s a mistake.  The way Airtran operated their business class was somewhat unique and was a great upsell for many passengers including me.  I have often arrived for a flight and paid the upgrade fees at the spur of the moment although I have to say that buying that upgrade at the last minute has gotten to be pretty difficult.

Airtran’s business class is a bit special.  It’s really more a decent seat, a few free drinks and a ride at the front of the bus.  It isn’t a luxurious “total experience” that a SuperLegacy might offer but it does embody the 3 best parts of riding in a business class product. 

And at the price it was offered at, it not only made money for Airtran, it also didn’t tax Airtran’s LCC service model either.  Airtran didn’t have to dedicate one of the cabin crew to that section to rub the toes of those passengers and it didn’t have to carry meals either.  They did their drink service and when in the front of the bus, they didn’t charge for the first couple of alcoholic drinks. 

What I’m really saying is that Airtran’s business class actually *does* embody the Southwest service model.  It is the Southwest service model translated by Airtran into a business class product. 

In fact, I think you could retain it and toss assigned seating to the wind and few, if any, would even pause over that. 

But here is the thing:  it’s time to get over the idea that Southwest is the champion of the little people and it’s time to get over the idea that Southwest is completely egalitarian. 

They are neither and, in some respects, they never were.  Southwest was successful in Texas because it offered fast travel between city centers for the new breed of businessmen:  entrepreneurs.  It is true that Southwest did stimulate first time travel in people as it grew across the country but those days are over too.   The 1980’s were a period when air travel became accessible and it was solidified in the 1990’s but the idea that there are a great number of people in various markets who have never considered air travel until Southwest (or other LCCs) showed up is disingenuous at best.

More to the point, an Airtran business class product is well suited to the Southwest frequency model that is still employed today.  Imagine the revenue opportunities that exist in their newest markets from New York City to destinations like Chicago, Baltimore, Washington DC and Houston. 

Southwest has matured in many ways and all for the better.  Retaining a business class product like Airtran’s offers far more opportunity than it does risks and for SWA to dismiss it out of hand is a flawed move.  Keep it, play with it and look for advantages.  Use it to start eroding the appeal that newer LCC models like jetBlue and Virgin America have built up.  If you think it’s the in-flight entertainment those airlines offer that is driving their business, you’re kidding yourself.  It’s the better seat at the better price where they compete against legacy and SuperLegacy airlines.

Southwest’s quick move to announce it would go away struck me as inflexible and particularly so given their agility in most things.  Yes, they are slow adopters, experimenters and generally an airline that waits for scale to develop before they make a move.  The scale is there, Airtran is a ready experimentation and they’ve already adopted a number of features to better accommodate business travelers. 

For all you Airtran Business Class Fans, I’m with you.  It’s worth keeping not just because you like it but because it has all the appearances of being a solid business choice.

Filed under: Airline Service by ajax