Vacation spots on the cheap

Midwest to start service in August

By RICK BARRETT rbarrett@journalsentinel.com, Journal Sentinel

Thursday, May 29, 2003

Midwest Airlines officials on Wednesday revealed details of their latest effort to remain competitive, Midwest Airlines Saver Service, that will fly non-stop from Milwaukee to five vacation destinations.

The first flights will be to Denver starting Aug. 1, followed by Orlando, Fla., Aug 8; Las Vegas, Aug. 15; Phoenix, Aug. 22; and Los Angeles, Sept. 12.

Midwest will discontinue its flagship service on routes covered by the discount service. Passengers on the discount routes will not get the airline's comfortably spaced leather seating. But they will get cheaper, flexible fares.

The fares don't require a Saturday-night stay and can be purchased for one-way travel, Midwest officials said. Also, passengers might be able to get last-minute tickets for prices normally reserved for advance purchases.

Midwest is launching the discount service to better compete with AirTran, Northwest, Southwest, Delta and other airlines on routes popular with price-conscious leisure travelers.

The new service is not intended to replace Midwest's main brand, Timothy Hoeksema, airline chairman and chief executive officer said at a Wednesday press conference.

"Our focus has always been business travelers, and -- make no mistake -- business travelers will continue to be a vital part of our business going forward," he said. "At the same time, adding low-fare service to high-demand leisure destinations . . . will better position us to be a successful competitor in a very competitive industry."

Choice of seats, leg room

The low-fare service will be launched with five MD-80 airplanes configured with three seats on one side of the aisle and two seats on the other side. By adding the third seat, the airline will be able to accommodate about 25% more passengers per flight.

Passengers will be able to select their seats when booking tickets on Midwest's Web site. Also, the seats will have more leg room than other low-fare carriers, according to Midwest officials.

"It's true that we will have 29 middle seats, but we are not scrimping on comfort," said James Rankin, airline senior vice president and general manager of the new service.

Still, the middle seat and additional passengers on Midwest's flights will not bode well with some business travelers, said Pat LaSage with Pettibone Group, a Milwaukee real estate and property management firm.

Business travelers often use flights to catch up on work, LaSage said.

"This is quiet time for me," he said. "I have nothing against children, but I don't want to be stuck next to a family with screaming kids."

LaSage flies to Phoenix for business and is upset that Midwest is dropping its signature service to that city.

"I would pay more" to keep a business-class flight to Phoenix, he said. "Maybe I can get an exit-row seat, but it does not change the fact that there will be more bodies packed on the airplane."

Midwest has been losing money on the vacation routes and had little choice but to convert them to strictly leisure travel service, said Carol Skornicka, airline senior vice president.

There's "nothing else, really" that could be done, she said. "The other choice would be to quit serving those routes."

The three-across seating will be OK if Midwest's fares are competitive with other discount airlines, said Mike Calemine from Brookfield.

"As an ordinary casual flier, I have made alternate airline selections based on price . . . My limit to fly Midwest was about a $50 premium per ticket," when the airline offered meals, Calemine said.

It's better for Midwest to lower fares and fill its airplanes than to fly them half empty, added Jeff Borchardt of Wauwatosa.

"I try to fly Midwest every time I travel, which amounts to about 10 times a year," Borchardt said. "I applaud the airline for trying to be competitive, but they didn't get a quick enough jump on this."

Three of Midwest's low-fare routes -- Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Orlando, Fla. -- will be matched by non-stop Northwest Airlines flights beginning in July.

But Midwest won't have trouble filling its planes on those routes because they are among the most popular destinations in the nation, said Randy Smith, Midwest vice president of sales and distribution.

"Some of these routes, Las Vegas in particular, are often sold out because currently we just don't have any more seats to sell," he said. "By adding 25 percent more seats, we can accommodate demand that is already there."

If the low-fare service is successful, Midwest will consider expanding it to cities the airline doesn't currently serve, Smith said.

The service strengthens Milwaukee's position as a tourism and convention destination, said Doug Neilson, president and chief executive of the Greater Milwaukee Convention & Visitors Bureau.

"A lot of conventions are on the borderline this year because of the economy," he said. "The low-fare service will give us one more selling tool. . . That more airline seats are available from key strategic markets is a nice boost for Milwaukee's tourism industry."

Copyright 2003 Journal Sentinel Inc. Note: This notice does not apply to those news items already copyrighted and received through wire services or other media
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.