US low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines has announced it will keep flying to 22 cities served by AirTran Airways but end flights to six other destinations. Southwest purchased competitor AirTran in 2011 and the two airlines are now being merged.
The newly terminated destinations are smaller cities and include Allentown and Harrisburg, PA, Lexington, KY, Sarasota, FL, Huntsville, AL, and White Plains, NY. Previously cut routes include Miami, FL, Knoxville, TN, Asheville, NC, Atlantic City, NJ. Bloomington and Moline, IL, Charleston, WV, and Newport News, VA.
In addition to the overlapping destinations, Southwest Airlines will take over AirTran flights to 22 cities plus destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean.
The 22 U.S. cities served by AirTran that will eventually switch to Southwest service: Flint and Grand Rapids, Mich.; Rochester, N.Y.; Pensacola and Key West, Fla.; Charlotte, N.C.; Dayton, Ohio; Richmond, Va.; Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C.; Memphis, Tenn.; Akron-Canton, Ohio; Wichita, Kan.; Des Moines, Iowa; Branson, Mo.; Portland, Maine.
