Defunct low-cost airline of the United States (1993–2014)
"AirTran" redirects here. For other uses, see AirTran (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Air Transat, American Trans Air, International Air Transport Association, or AirTrain (disambiguation).
AirTran Airways
IATA
ICAO
Callsign
FL
TRS
CITRUS
Founded
1993 (1993) (as Conquest Sun Airlines)
Ceased operations
December 28, 2014 (2014-12-28) (merged into Southwest Airlines)
Operating bases
Atlanta (1997–2014)
Baltimore
Milwaukee
Orlando 1993–2014)
Frequent-flyer program
A+ Rewards
Parent company
AirTran Corporation
Airways Corporation (1995–1997)
AirTran Holdings (1997–2011)
Southwest Airlines (2011–2014)
Headquarters
Orlando, Florida, United States
Key people
Gary C. Kelly
Bob Jordan
Bob Fornaro
AirTran Airways was a low-cost airline in the United States that operated from 1993 until 2014, when it was merged into Southwest Airlines.
Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, AirTran Airways was established in 1993 as Conquest Sun Airlines by the management of two small airlines, Destination Sun Airways and Conquest Airlines, with Conquest Airlines co-founder Victor Rivas being heavily involved in the establishment of Conquest Sun. The airline was purchased by the AirTran Corporation in 1994 and was renamed to AirTran Airways. The airline was later spun off under the new Airways Corporation holding company by the AirTran Corporation.
The airline and the Airways Corporation holding company was purchased in 1997 by the ValuJet holding company, which owned the struggling ValuJet Airlines. The ValuJet holding company became known as AirTran Holdings and merged ValuJet Airlines into AirTran Airways. ValuJet Airlines was renamed "AirTran Airlines" before it was merged into AirTran Airways.
AirTran Airways and parent AirTran Holdings were acquired by Southwest Airlines on May 2, 2011 and gradually integrated, with AirTran's final revenue flight operating on December 28, 2014.[1]
AirTran operated nearly 700 daily flights, primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States, with its principal hub at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where it operated nearly 200 daily departures. AirTran's fleet consisted of Boeing 717-200 aircraft, of which it was the world's largest operator, and Boeing 737-700 aircraft.
^"Southwest Airlines Celebrates Final Scheduled AirTran Airways Flight". 29 December 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
Florida, AirTranAirways was established in 1993 as Conquest Sun Airlines by the management of two small airlines, Destination Sun Airways and Conquest...
and Rollin King, and incorporated as Air Southwest Co. in 1967. Three other airlines (Braniff, Trans-Texas Airways and Continental Airlines) took legal...
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acquisition of AirTranAirways, setting the stage for historical consolidation in the US low cost airline industry. "Southwest Airlines And AirTranAirways Begin...
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regulatory approval, EVA Airways Corporation was formally established in March 1989. The airline was originally to be called Evergreen Airways, however this was...
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as US Airways Express on behalf of US Airways prior to becoming an American Eagle regional air carrier. Between March 2018 and April 2023, Air Wisconsin...
chief executive officer of AirTran Holdings Inc. and its subsidiary, AirTranAirways, in Orlando, Florida, until AirTran was acquired by Southwest Airlines...
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