ORLANDO, Fla.—Aug. 15, 2003—Flights to/from Reagan National Will Include Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:AAI), today announced that the low-fare airline was awarded slots by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to commence service at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the closest airport to the nation`s capital. The airport, located in central Washington, D.C., will become the airline`s 44th airport served and its fourth new market opening this year.
The airline will announce its Reagan National schedule and fares early next week but expects to launch daily nonstop flights between Washington`s Reagan National Airport and its Atlanta hub, and one daily nonstop flight between Reagan National and both Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers beginning in late October.
“For the past few years, we have encouraged the federal government to award AirTran Airways slots at Reagan Washington National Airport and bring much needed competition to this excellent facility,” said Joe Leonard, chairman and chief executive officer. “Today`s announcement is a testament to the perseverance of AirTran Airways—from being one of the country`s only profitable airlines to building a loyal customer base in our 43 current markets, AirTran Airways is dedicated to serving the needs of our customers. We are very confident travelers to and from our nation`s capital will embrace our low fares and caring customer service.”
“Today`s announcement is a major victory for passengers all across the country as AirTran Airways will bring much needed low-fare competition to this last bastion of high air fares in the Washington metropolitan area,” stated Robert L. Fornaro, president and chief operating officer. “We are appreciative of all the efforts of the many people who made this announcement possible including Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, FAA administrator Marion Blakey, and all the hard working people at the FAA and the U.S. Department of Transportation.”
All flights to/from Washington will operate using new Boeing 717 aircraft, the most modern, quiet and environmentally friendly aircraft flying today with such features as 100 percent fresh air circulated throughout the cabin and EasyFit overhead bins.
In addition to this new service at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, AirTran Airways also serves the other major Washington, D.C., airports - Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia and Baltimore/Washington International Airport in Maryland with 35 flights per day, and AirTran Airways will be the only low-fare airline serving all three Washington-area airports.
AirTran Airways is one of America`s largest low-fare airlines - employing more than 5,400 professional Crew Members and serving 492 flights a day to 43 destinations. The airline`s hub is at Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport, the world`s busiest airport (by passenger volume), where it is the second largest carrier operating 189 flights a day. The airline never requires a roundtrip purchase or Saturday night stay, and offers an affordable Business Class, assigned seating, easy online booking and check-in, the A-Plus Rewards frequent flier program, and the A2B corporate travel program. AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc., (NYSE:AAI), is the world`s largest operator of the Boeing 717, the most modern, environmentally friendly aircraft in its class. In 2004, the company will begin taking delivery of 100 Boeing 737-700s, one of the most popular and reliable jet aircraft in its class. For more information and reservations, visit airtran.com (America Online Keyword: AirTran), call AirTran Airways at 800-AIRTRAN (800-247-8726) or 770-994-8258 (in Atlanta) or your travel agent.

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