Airtran Airways

Southwest Airlines, which has pummeled its competitors with an advertising campaign boasting that “bags fly free,” will continue to charge a checked bag fee at its subsidiary AirTran Airways at least until 2014. Southwest Chief Executive Gary Kelly said a full integration between Southwest and the airline it purchased in 2010 will not be completed for another two years. Until then, he said, AirTran will continue to collect checked bag fees and reservation change charges, even though Southwest makes a point in television commercials and online ads of slamming its competitors for charging such fees.

Southwest Airlines, which has pummeled its competitors with an advertising campaign boasting that “bags fly free,” will continue to charge a checked bag fee at its subsidiary AirTran Airways at least until 2014. Southwest Chief Executive Gary Kelly said a full integration between Southwest and the airline it purchased in 2010 will not be completed for another two years. Until then, he said, AirTran will continue to collect checked bag fees and reservation change charges, even though Southwest makes a point in television commercials and online ads of slamming its competitors for charging such fees.

The U.S. Transportation Department has fined AirTran Airways $60,000 for violating a federal rule that prohibits advertising fares without clearly disclosing additional fees and taxes. Under federal rules, airlines that advertise airfares in the U.S. can disclose government-imposed taxes and fees separately on the same page or an Internet link so long as it is easy for passengers determine the full price. An investigation by Transportation Department found that AirTran advertised $59 one-way fares last fall on several websites.

U.S. airlines had more flights arriving on time, fewer passengers bumped from flights (or involuntarily denied boarding in airline lingo), fewer lost bags and fewer customer complaints last year, according to an analysis of Department of Transportation data. The Airline Quality Rating 2012 report says 10 of the nation's top 15 airlines improved their performance between 2011 and 2010. AirTran Airways , Hawaiian Airlines , JetBlue Airways , Frontier Airlines and Alaska Airlines ranked highest, and Continental Airlines (now United Airlines)

Los Angeles International Airport will look a little different Tuesday as Alaska Airlines moves into a new space, and other airlines are switching terminals too. Alaska moves from Terminal 3 into a $271-million renovated space in Terminal 6 that includes a bigger lobby, more ticket kiosks and bag-drop areas, six international gates and electrical outlets on half of the seats in the gate area. ("No more sitting on dirty carpeting in the corner," the airline's statement promises.)

After more than a year of reminding too many people of a disaster rather than low fares, ValuJet on Thursday said it would take a new name. ValuJet is buying a much smaller airline, AirTran Airways, from Airways Corp. for $66.3 million worth of stock and taking its name. "We could pick one name or the other, and we felt that the AirTran name better represented the interests of the company," ValuJet President and Chief Executive D. Joseph Corr said.

Another airline merger took a key step forward Thursday when the Federal Aviation Administration approved a certificate to allow Southwest Airlines and its subsidiary AirTran Airways to operate as one. The certificate is a crucial development in Southwest Airlines' $1.4-billion purchase of Orlando, Fla.-based AirTran, which was first announced in 2010. Since then, the two low-fare airlines have operated as separate carriers. Southwest officials say it will still take several years to repaint the exterior and remodel the interior cabins of AirTran's fleet of 138 jets before the two airlines can be completely integrated.

In 2005, AirTran Airways became the first U.S. airline to offer passengers satellite radio among the in-flight entertainment options. But the XM satellite radio is about to be pulled out of AirTran planes as the airline gets swallowed up by its new parent company, Southwest Airlines, which acquired AirTran in May 2011. “The decision to remove XM satellite radio from the AirTran fleet was not taken lightly, and it's another step in the integration of offering a consistent product between Southwest and AirTran,” said Katie McDonald, a Southwest spokeswoman.

Last week I wrote about great airfare deals at Southwest, Virgin America and JetBlue. Now other airlines have jumped in by matching the low prices and putting other destinations on sale. Be prepared to buy quickly because many of these deals expire this week. AirTran Airways has put about 50 destinations on sale, with one-way fares from Los Angeles to New York City, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, many cities in Florida (including Orlando) and Cancun, Mexico, starting at $139 plus tax. When: You must buy by 8:59 p.m. PST Thursday for travel through March 16; blackout dates and other restrictions apply.

Discount airline AirTran Airways today plans to announce new nonstop flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Dallas/Fort Worth, a route now dominated by the nation's largest carrier, American Airlines, which is based at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. AirTran, a unit of AirTran Holdings Inc. based in Orlando, Fla., plans to start the service July 1 with two daily flights. Its unrestricted one-way fare will be $199, and its 14-day advance-purchase fare will be $99.

With the high cost of airline tickets , it's worth keeping an eagle-eye out for one-day sales that could make a spring or summer trip super affordable. Here are sales on right now (Tuesday) that offer good savings, but check the baggage fees for each airline to make a fair comparison and keep the deal real. AirTran Airways [(800) 247-8726] offers a sale to a range of cities, but not all prices were super low, so choose your destination carefully (Portland, Ore., for $202 each way, for example, is no deal in my book)

Los Angeles International Airport will look a little different Tuesday as Alaska Airlines moves into a new space, and other airlines are switching terminals too. Alaska moves from Terminal 3 into a $271-million renovated space in Terminal 6 that includes a bigger lobby, more ticket kiosks and bag-drop areas, six international gates and electrical outlets on half of the seats in the gate area. ("No more sitting on dirty carpeting in the corner," the airline's statement promises.)

Another airline merger took a key step forward Thursday when the Federal Aviation Administration approved a certificate to allow Southwest Airlines and its subsidiary AirTran Airways to operate as one. The certificate is a crucial development in Southwest Airlines' $1.4-billion purchase of Orlando, Fla.-based AirTran, which was first announced in 2010. Since then, the two low-fare airlines have operated as separate carriers. Southwest officials say it will still take several years to repaint the exterior and remodel the interior cabins of AirTran's fleet of 138 jets before the two airlines can be completely integrated.

In 2005, AirTran Airways became the first U.S. airline to offer passengers satellite radio among the in-flight entertainment options. But the XM satellite radio is about to be pulled out of AirTran planes as the airline gets swallowed up by its new parent company, Southwest Airlines, which acquired AirTran in May 2011. “The decision to remove XM satellite radio from the AirTran fleet was not taken lightly, and it's another step in the integration of offering a consistent product between Southwest and AirTran,” said Katie McDonald, a Southwest spokeswoman.

The U.S. Transportation Department has fined AirTran Airways $60,000 for violating a federal rule that prohibits advertising fares without clearly disclosing additional fees and taxes. Under federal rules, airlines that advertise airfares in the U.S. can disclose government-imposed taxes and fees separately on the same page or an Internet link so long as it is easy for passengers determine the full price. An investigation by Transportation Department found that AirTran advertised $59 one-way fares last fall on several websites.

In a bid to attract business travelers, Southwest Airlines Co. has rolled out a revamped frequent-flier program. The Dallas airline, known for low-cost domestic flights, unveiled a new Rapid Rewards program Thursday. When the program launches March 1, the long-standing system in which frequent-flier credits were based on the number of trips taken will be replaced with one in which points accrue based on the price and type of fare paid. Other airlines, including JetBlue Airways Corp.

Discount carrier AirTran Airways said Monday that it was cutting 480 jobs, or more than 5% of its workforce, amid difficult financial times caused largely by soaring fuel prices. The Orlando, Fla., airline told its 8,900 employees that 180 pilot jobs and 300 flight attendant jobs would be eliminated Sept. 6, said Kevin Healy, an AirTran senior vice president. Flights also will be reduced in September, he said.

Long-struggling Trans World Airlines Inc. may finally have a suitor. AirTran Holdings Inc. of Orlando, Fla., the small airline formerly known as ValuJet, is in the early stages of talks about buying St. Louis-based TWA, according to published reports. "We're only confirming preliminary talks right now," Leslie Head, general counsel at AirTran, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Last week I wrote about great airfare deals at Southwest, Virgin America and JetBlue. Now other airlines have jumped in by matching the low prices and putting other destinations on sale. Be prepared to buy quickly because many of these deals expire this week. AirTran Airways has put about 50 destinations on sale, with one-way fares from Los Angeles to New York City, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, many cities in Florida (including Orlando) and Cancun, Mexico, starting at $139 plus tax. When: You must buy by 8:59 p.m. PST Thursday for travel through March 16; blackout dates and other restrictions apply.

Travelers are entitled to some mixed feelings over the pending deal disclosed Monday of Southwest Airlines swallowing AirTran Airways . On one hand, Southwest has always aimed for low prices, cheerful service and simple operations (flying only 737s, for instance, and not assigning seats). In doing so, the company has grown from a Texas start-up in 1971 to, as of today, a behemoth with more than 650 aircraft serving almost 100 cities. So maybe we should be cheering that, if government regulators give their blessing, Southwest (strongest in Las Vegas , Chicago and Phoenix )