The board of directors
of AirTran Holdings, Inc., announced today that the employment agreement
with Joe Leonard, chairman and chief executive officer, has been extended
for three years. Joe Leonard joined AirTran Holdings, Inc., as chairman and chief executive
officer on January 6, 1999, and today’s announcement marks the third
contract Leonard has signed with the airline. One of the few licensed
pilots who also serves as CEO of an airline, Leonard recently added the
Boeing 737 type rating to his private pilot’s license, an accomplishment
shared by fewer than one percent of all FAA licensed pilots.

“We are extremely pleased that Joe Leonard will continue to lead AirTran
Airways to new heights,” said Jere Drummond, retired vice chairman of
BellSouth Corporation and chairman of the compensation committee and a
member of AirTran Holdings’ board of directors. “During the past five
years, Joe has provided the vision and the disciplined leadership that has
allowed AirTran Airways to prosper even in challenging economic times. Our
airline is stronger today because of Joe Leonard and his team, and the
board knows that a strong leadership team is essential particularly in
these uncertain times. This new agreement ensures continuity of management
in these challenging times.”

Prior to AirTran Airways, Leonard held executive positions with Allied
Signal Aerospace, Northwest Airlines, Eastern Air Lines and American
Airlines. A native of Augusta, Ga., and a graduate of Auburn University,
Leonard began his career as a flight test engineer at Boeing.
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