AirTran Airways will start seasonal nonstop flights in May between Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and Los Angeles - a route that behemoth rival Southwest Airlines slashed in October.

AirTran, BWI's second-largest carrier, has made adding cross-country routes a priority. The airline will also resume seasonal flights in May from BWI to Seattle and Dallas.

AirTran's move comes as Southwest cut nonstop flights between BWI and Oakland, Calif., as well as Los Angeles, last fall. BWI's biggest carrier, Southwest still operates two direct daily flights to San Diego.

United Airlines has three daily departures to Los Angeles, but AirTran will be the only low-cost carrier at BWI to fly that route. AirTran's one-way fares to Los Angeles will start at $99.

AirTran will use Boeing 737s on the route, with 125 coach and 12 business class seats. The seasonal service is scheduled to end Sept. 8.

The Seattle flight, which ran five days a week last season, will run daily this year, according to Maryland Aviation Administration spokesman Jonathan Dean.

laura.mccandlish@baltsun.com