AirTran launches routes to Branson and Cancun

AirTran launched three new routes in the last week; two domestic services from Southwest bases to Branson, MO (BKG) and one international to the sunshine in Mexico’s Cancun (CUN). On 10 April, the airline that now has merged with Southwest, began serving Branson from Houston Hobby, TX (HOU) and the following day from Chicago Midway, IL (MDW). Each of the two routes to the entertainment city is operated daily with the airline’s 117-seat 717s. On 16 April, the airline began operating to Cancun from Denver, CO (DEN); currently its fourth route to the Mexico coastal resort, to which it is planning to add three further routes from San Antonio, Austin and Chicago Midway in the next couple of months. The new route is initially operated daily with 737-700 aircraft, competing with Frontier’s also daily operations and United’s five flights a week; however, AirTran reduced frequencies to four weekly from 8 July and down to two weekly between 13 August and 28 September.