AirTran Airways To Cease Operations At Yeager Airport

{Charleston, West Virginia}...AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of Southwest Airlines, told its employees Friday that it will end operations in June 2012 at Charleston's Yeager Airport, Knoxville's McGhee Tyson Airport, Miami International, Central Illinois Regional Airport/Bloomington/Normal, Ill., and Dulles International. AirTran Airways says it can no longer support service to those markets due to economic constraints and high fuel prices. Ticketed passengers, passengers holding reservations, or passengers desiring to make reservations for flights to or from these airports do not need to alter their travel plans prior to June 3, 2012. Yeager Airport Director Rick Atkinson says the Charleston-Orlando service, which began in June 2009, was a very successful flight for AirTran. Atkinson says the main reason behind the decision to drop the route has to do with a labor agreement between Southwest and its employees that takes effect next June when Southwest's acquisition of AirTran is complete.