AirTran Airways Accepts Delivery on First of 100 New Boeing 737 Aircraft; Leading Low-Fare Airline Welcomes New Look and Pulls for Kids.

Business Editors/Travel Writers

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 10, 2004

AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:AAI), today held a contract signing ceremony at Boeing Field in Seattle while accepting delivery on the first of 100 new Boeing 737-700 series aircraft. The delivery comes nearly a year after AirTran Airways first announced the multi-billion dollar order for 100 new 737s.

Specially selected employees and special guests of AirTran Airways and The Boeing Corporation unveiled the new 737 aircraft Wednesday evening as part of a celebration at Seattle's Museum of Flight. Just as the renowned Seattle museum recognizes significant accomplishments in aviation history, so did this event mark a historic step for AirTran Airways.

The highlight of the evening was the unveiling of the new Boeing 737 itself, which showcased AirTran Airways' new livery that will soon be featured on its entire fleet of aircraft. The contemporary design revamps the predominantly tan color scheme by incorporating sleek red and blue striping on a white background. AirTran Airways' trademark "a" remains prominent on a teal-colored tail.

For the first glimpse of this new look, employees and officials from both AirTran Airways and The Boeing Corporation joined together with representatives of CHRIS Kids, an Atlanta-based children's charity, to officially "pull" the first airplane into service. Following the unveiling of the new aircraft livery, world-renowned jazz artist Brian Culbertson emceed the plane pull where both Boeing and AirTran Airways executives and employees pulled the 84,000 pound aircraft more than 65 feet. As a result, Boeing, AirTran Airways, General Electric, CFM, and GECAS made a $65,000 donation to CHRIS Kids.

"Building on our long-standing partnership with Boeing, this aircraft order ensures that AirTran Airways is poised to move into the next stage of our growth plan," said Joe Leonard, AirTran Airways' chairman and chief executive officer. "The Boeing 737 has set a new standard for consumer airplanes, allowing us to increase efficiency and enhance our range of service at even lower cost to the consumer."

"AirTran Airways is pleased to be involved in each of the communities we serve, and we are happy to make a monetary donation to a very worthwhile organization - CHRIS Kids - and to provide a once in a lifetime opportunity for these kids by having them accompany us to Boeing Field for these historic events," Leonard added.

Robert L. Fornaro, AirTran Airways' president and chief operating officer, added, "Not only do the Boeing 737s boast remarkable fuel efficiency, they will also allow us to serve longer-haul markets. Combined with the dependability of our Boeing 717 fleet, the increased flexibility and greater range of the 737s enables AirTran Airways to solidify our position as an industry leader well into the future."

The Boeing 737-700 aircraft will be equipped in a two-class configuration, which includes the airline's signature two-by-two award-winning Business Class and three-by-three Coach seats. The Boeing 737 aircraft will feature comfortable Recaro seats, and similar to the 717, the aircraft will have EasyFit overhead bins with the most storage space for passengers' carry-on bags. AirTran Airways already operates the youngest all-Boeing fleet in the United States, and later this summer XM Satellite Radio will be added to all its aircraft.

"We are extremely pleased that AirTran Airways will build on the success of its Boeing 717 fleet by adding 737's," said Harry Stonecipher, president and chief executive officer of The Boeing Corporation. "This decision once again demonstrates the 737's leadership among low-fare carriers around the world."

Stonecipher added, "We have had a great relationship with AirTran Airways since they launched the 717, and we look forward to supporting their expansion into the medium and long-haul markets with the 737. The reliability, performance and operating economics of these two airplanes are a perfect fit as AirTran Airways moves into the future."

"CHRIS Kids' mission is to break the cycle of abuse by healing children, strengthening families and building community. We are only able to achieve that through partnerships like the one through AirTran Airways who shares our commitment to the safety and welfare of children and families," said Kathy Colbensen, chief executive officer of CHRIS Kids.

CFM56-7B engines produced by CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma Moteurs of France and General Electric Company, will power the Boeing 737 aircraft. The environmentally friendly CFM56 engines meet all current (Stage 3) and planned (Stage 4) noise restrictions with significant margin and provide exceptionally low emissions levels, and are among the most reliable flying today with 99.97 percent departure reliability.

As a part of the Boeing Next-Generation 737 family, the 737-700 is one of the world's most popular and reliable jet aircraft in its class, effectively using the latest in technological advancements to allow the airline to save on fuel, extend its range, carry more payload and reduce engine maintenance costs. The 737 features a typical cruising speed of Mach .78 or 578 miles per hour and a range of up to 3,250 miles at maximum certified altitudes of 41,000 feet. The digitally designed 737-600s/-700s/-800s/-900s are the newest and most technologically advanced airplanes in the single-aisle market. Outfitted with a new wing and more powerful engines, the new 737s can fly higher, faster and farther than previous models and its competitors. In addition, the new 737's flight deck features the latest liquid-crystal flat-panel displays and is designed to accommodate new communications and flight-management capabilities that promise to reduce flight delays and enhance flight-crew efficiency.

AirTran Airways is one of America's largest low-fare airlines - employing more than 5,800 professional Crew Members and operating 531 flights a day to 45 destinations. The airline's hub is at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest airport by passenger volume, where it is the second largest carrier operating 197 flights per day. For reservations or more information, visit airtran.com (America Online Keyword: AirTran).