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For now, AirTran will be AirTran and Southwest will be Southwest.

The latter closed its purchase of the former on Monday in a deal valued at $3.2 billion, but Dallas-based Southwest Airlines says both carriers will continue to operate as separate airlines until Southwest gets a “Single Operating Certificate” from the Federal Aviation Administration, possibly as early as 2012.

aboard a southwest jet

From there, says a news release, “it will take several years to fully transition AirTran into Southwest Airlines.” Some changes will happen more quickly as AirTran’s fleet joins the Southwest “livery” and AirTran, following its new owner’s business model, does away with seating assignments.

The merger makes Southwest a major new player in key East Coast airports, including Atlanta, the country’s busiest, but its meaning for General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee remains to be seen.

Southwest is a relative newcomer to this city with a small share of the airport’s business. AirTran, however, has the second largest share of the General Mitchell market, behind only Frontier Airlines (which bought Midwest Airlines). Some have speculated the purchase could reduce competition at the Milwaukee airport.

Southwest CEO Gary Kelly has insisted Southwest will hold firm to its discount fare model although it faces, like all other airlines, high jet fuel costs.

Wisconsin Senator Herb Kohl, a Democrat, held a special hearing of the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee (which he chairs) in Waukesha in February. Kohl has questioned whether the merger will be a detriment to General Mitchell, but he released this statement recently:

“We were pleased by the assurances made by Southwest CEO Gary Kelly at our Antitrust Subcommittee hearing of his desire to maintain service in Milwaukee, as well as his promise to consult with us annually regarding Southwest service in Milwaukee. We will continue to monitor this issue very closely and work with the leadership of Southwest to ensure that Milwaukee consumers reap the benefits of this merger.”

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