KWCH - Kansas News and Weather - AirTran Celebrates Seven Years At Mid-Continent

AirTran Celebrates Seven Years At Mid-Continent

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By Kim Wilhelm (WICHITA, Kan.)

AirTran Airways celebrates a seven year anniversary with Wichita's Mid-Continent Airport.  Since AirTran came to Wichita in 2002, air fares have fallen.   In order to compete with the discount carrier, other airlines have also lowered prices.  Before AirTran, Wichita had the 10th highest ticket prices in the country. 

AirTran has received more than $22 million dollars in subsidies since 2002 to stay in Wichita.  City officials say the money has been worth it.

"Travelers alone have saved $400 million," said Valerie Wise, Wichita Airport Authority.  "When you look at that investment compared to the savings - it's just a no brainer."

Wise says lower airline prices spur the Wichita economy in a number of ways.  It helps attract and keep businesses as well as get more people to fly from Mid-Continent. 

"In 2007, Wichita was the 17th fastest growing airport in the country," said Wise.  "Ridership is up 400,000 annually."

When other airlines dropped prices in order to compete, the city launched an ad campaigning urging people to still fly AirTran.  The message - even though another airline may be a few dollars cheaper, AirTran is the reason why. 

"If AirTran wasn't in this market, the fares would go right back up to where they were," said Wise. 

Wichita has seen that happen before.  In the mid 90's, Vanguard flew out of Mid-Continent.  But the discount carrier was driven out of the market when other airlines matched low prices. As soon as Vanguard left, the ticket prices went back up.