Airline Profile: AirTran Airways

Orlando, Florida: AirTran Airways is a low-cost airline based in Orlando, Florida. Its fleet of 140 aircraft operate over 700 daily flights to 70 destinations in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean.

The history of AirTran actually begins several years before the name AirTran. In 1992, the low-cost airline ValuJet was formed. ValuJet suffered scores of safety setbacks, culminating in the FAA to seek removal of their flight certification in ealy 1996. However the process was lost in the government bureaucracy and ValuJet suffered its largest accident in May 1996 when ValuJet Flight 592 crashed in the Florida Everglades, killing 110. The crash combined with the substandard safety records forced ValuJet into financial ruins and they were purchased by Airways Corporation in 1997.

The airline was rebranded as AirTran Airways and the company headquarters was relocated to Orlando in November 1997. The original model for AirTran was to provide low cost flights to Orlando. They success of these flights led to the airline to expand, today serving over 70 destinations.

The AirTran fleet is comprised of 140 aircraft. They are the largest operator of the Boeing 717-200 with 88 in operation. The remainder of the fleet consists of the Boeing 737-700 with 52 in operation and an additional 65 on order. Select AirTran jets feature special livery designs that focus on corporate sponsorships. Some of these designs include the Orlando/Orange County Visitor’s Bureau, Universal Orlando, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Raven and the Indianapolis Colts to name a few.

AirTran was purchased by Southwest Airlines in September 2010 for $1.4 billion. Southwest saw the acquisition as a way to expand into markets that currently do not have a Southwest presence. Both airlines are expected to operate separately until early 2012 when they will be merged into a single certification under the Southwest brand. While initially Southwest stated there would be no reduction in service as a result of the acquisition, they just announced that they will be ceasing service and operations in August 2012 to several AirTran destination.

Click on the photo above to view my AirTran Airways photo gallery .

Updated January 22, 2012

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