AirTran Airways flies into e-mail with e-Dialog

AirTran Holdings Inc.'s AirTran Airways joins Alaska Airlines and British Airways in tapping e-mail services firm e-Dialog to power its e-mail marketing.

E-Dialog, Lexington, MA, lets AirTran Airways analyze and collect customer data from its various e-mailings. This data is then used to adapt and optimize the airline's customized e-mail campaigns.

"We have a few e-mail lists," said Andrew Chang, manager of marketing strategy at Air Tran Airways, Atlanta. "Net Escapes, our weekly e-mail list that brings our lowest fares directly to consumers, and our A+ Rewards newsletter, which is our monthly newsletter e-mail about our frequent flier program. A+ Rewards goes out to our members."

AirTran Airways is one America's largest low-fare airlines, operating nearly 700 daily flights to 52 destinations nationwide. AirTran Airways' planes are an all-Boeing fleet, some equipped with XM Satellite Radio. The airline's hub is at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where it is the second largest carrier.

Air Trans decided to go with e-Dialog, because of the e-mail firm's experience in the airline industry. E-Dialog also will optimize AirTran Airways' e-mail marketing through campaign automation and targeting tactics that include segmentation and custom publishing.

"We have always had an e-mail service provider, Mansell Group, based in Atlanta, GA, but decided that the time was right to make a switch in order to help our business during these competitive times," Mr. Chang said.