Fornaro Predicts Carrier Will Make Money Each Quarter Of Year

It looks as though all the grumbling endured by the airlines about a la carte fees may have been worth the hassle. AirTran Airways CEO Bob Fornaro says the fees for checked bags and other services are proving a big help in getting through a period during which passenger traffic is falling and fares being cut.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes AirTran charges $15 for the first checked bag, $25 for the second, and other fees for seats in exit rows and advanced seat reservations.

Fornaro tells the paper AirTran's overall revenues are up as a result, and predicts the carrier will turn a profit in every quarter this year.

As for the recession, Fornaro says the resulting lower fuel costs have helped airlines, but, "...consumer demand is low. We don’t really know where the bottom is. There will be more discounting and fare sales."

He says Delta, the "other" airline with a hub in Atlanta, may get hurt more than AirTran in 2009, because it relies more heavily on international routes. "The more global you are in 2009, the bigger the negative impact is going to be," he said.

FMI: www.airtran.com