Milwaukee Brawl Brews As AirTran Plans Capacity Hike

AirTran Airways today announced plans to increase its Milwaukee capacity by 40 percent through a combination of frequency growth and service to new markets, including Minneapolis, St. Louis, Branson, Mo., and seasonal flights to Denver. The carrier said it is finding growth opportunities in Milwaukee, as hub operator Midwest Airlines has scaled back operations at the airport in the past year.

AirTran plans to launch it new service in May, when it will offer 30 daily departures to 18 destinations. AirTran said it would shift three seasonal destinations—Boston, Los Angeles and Tampa/St. Petersburg—to year-round service by the end of May.

"In addition, seasonal service to both San Francisco and Seattle/Tacoma will be extended to Oct. 30 and could be added to the roster of year-round flights in the future," AirTran said in a statement today.

Though AirTran estimates an overall capacity decline of about 4 percent this year, CEO Robert Fornaro during the carrier's fourth-quarter earnings call late last month highlighted some pockets of growth, Milwaukee top among them.

"Our big focus is going to be in Milwaukee," Fornaro told investors, noting that the dominant carrier at the airport, Midwest Airlines, "has dropped more than one-third of its capacity."

Midwest last year announced capacity pullbacks in its September schedule, eliminating nonstop service from Milwaukee to Los Angeles and Seattle, among other changes. The carrier also announced plans to halt service operated by its Midwest Connect regional jet provider to Baltimore, St. Louis and other markets.

AirTran's Fornaro said of Midwest, "A year ago they flew 37 to 38 mainline planes, but today they fly nine," which Fornaro said reduces Midwest to "pretty much a commuter airline right now, a regional carrier."