AirTran plans to expand flights at Branson Airport

Last edited 2:29 p.m., Jan. 26, 2012

AirTran Airways, subsidiary of Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, is expanding its Branson offerings by launching daily nonstop flights to Chicago and Houston, effective April 16.

The Jan. 22 announcement follows news last week that Southwest would begin converting AirTran Airways operations at Branson Airport.  and 21 others to Southwest operations. Southwest, which purchased Orlando, Fla.-based AirTran Holdings Inc. in May 2011, has plans to perform similar conversions in 53 cities.

“These new daily flights to Chicago and Houston are very exciting because Chicago and Houston are large visitation markets for Branson” Branson Airport Executive Director Jeff Bourk said in a news release. “Ultimately, these routes will tie into the Southwest network, giving passengers many more low-cost choices to get where our passengers want to go.”

AirTran previously had cancelled seasonal flights to the cities. Last year, the airline flew out of Branson Airport four times a week to Houston and three times a week to Chicago, according to SBJ staff reporting.

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