Check out this article.
http://blog.al.com/breaking/2010/05/airtran_could_get_another_2_mi.html
It appears that the City of Huntsville is apprehensive that AirTran will not get enough business from the flying public and discontinue service to HSV even before AirTran can consider starting service to their ATL hub. Their fears are not unwarranted as AirTran has been forced to discontinue service due to low flight loads in other Southern cities - Mobile, Fort Walton Beach, Savannah and Charleston.
There are two unanswered questions:
1. Will any of the Delta frequent flyers fly on AirTran? or will they be so loyal that they will change planes at ATL when flying to DC so they can keep their Medallion Level status with Delta when they could have flown nonstop from HSV on AirTran to BWI? likewise to MCO (Orlando).
2. Will the leisure travelers who have been flying Southwest out of Birmingham and Nashville start flying AirTran? and are there enough of them?
When looking on the AirTran website for seats on holiday weekends, there are plenty of seats available to both BWI and MCO out of HSV which is not a good sign for AirTran.
Only time will tell, but it is obvious that the HSV City Council is tired of having the notorious distinction of having an airport with the highest fares in the country and are willing to pull out all the stops to loose that title.
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