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Airlines Promote Deals, Even Using Obama's Speech

AirTran

AirTran on Tuesday launched a sale matched by a half-dozen airlines for flights through Nov. 4 with a 10- day advance purchase.

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By TED JACKOVICS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 25, 2009

In an effort to stimulate air travel, Spirit Airlines turned President Obama's Tuesday night address to a joint session of Congress into "The Obama Numbers Game," which allows passengers to take $13 off one-way air fares if they book a flight before 3 p.m. today.

Participants score the President's speech by adding or subtracting points for phrases they recall, such as adding one point for whenever the President said something from a positive list of words at spiritair.com such as "bipartisan" and subtracting a point from the list of negative words including "foreclosures."

If the final score ranges between 26 to 50, Spirit suggests taking a trip to Florida in March. If the score falls between minus one and minus 10, Spirit is encouraging patrons to go to Orlando before hotel rates go up again.

It's all in good fun and there's no benefit to savings from the final score a participant racks up. Those who miss the contest can always catch up: Spirit offers deals weekly with fares as low as $9 one-way from Tampa International Airport.

The Miramar-based airline's innovative marketing approach shows the extent airlines are taking to create interest in travel as consumers and businesses cut discretionary spending.

AirTran on Tuesday launched a sale matched by a half-dozen airlines for flights through Nov. 4 with a 10- day advance purchase and some Florida blackout dates applying.

American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Jet Blue Airways and United Airlines followed suit on routes competitive with AirTran.

AirTran's sale fares from Tampa include $49 flights, not including taxes, to Baltimore and Boston and $119 fares to San Francisco, San Diego and Seattle among 48 airports nationwide. Full listings are posted at airtran.com/sale and prices will vary depending on limited availability of seats assigned to the sale.

Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reaches at (813) 259-7817.

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