A Few Things Not To Expect In 2015

There are a few things that I grew accustomed to in previous years of flying that I won' see in 2015.  AirTran Airlines is one.  I'll miss seeing their planes hopping around the county; they looked good and helped bring fare competition to places I travel.  Southwest bought them to take out a competitor rather than expand their service.  There are plenty of cheap 717's and 737's in storage so, for a modest investment, someone can recreate AirTran's business model of small (cheap) planes to small and medium destinations.

AirTran 717 at Chicago Midway

I also don't expect frequent flyer programs to stand still.  There have been many large changes in the past few years and I suspect there will be more to come.  The next target will probably be earning elite status.  I suspect is will change to a pure spend calculation with four or five tiers.  Award miles will be given based on spending amounts, so why not simplify and give status on the same metric.  I don't expect it to be too simple, airlines like complexity and partner flights will need to generate credit in some way.