awards

Airline Business Magazine's Airline Strategy Award for Low Cost and Regional Leadership (July 2007)

Joe Leonard, chairman and CEO of AirTran Airways, was honored by Airline Business Magazine with an Airline Strategy Award for Low Cost and Regional Leadership.  Leonard and AirTran Airways were "recognized for an innovative strategy that has produced consistent profits in an extremely tight market," according to the magazine.

The Airline Strategy Awards are a prestigious evaluation of international airlines.  The winners are selected by an independent panel of industry experts. Airline Business Magazine began presenting the awards to outstanding airlines six years ago.

"AirTran Airways congratulates Joe on this well-deserved award," said Bob Fornaro, AirTran Airways president and chief operating officer. "Joe's leadership and guidance have led the airline during challenging industry conditions while maintaining our goal of providing our loyal customers with quality, affordable air travel."

The Tommy Nobis Center’s Visionary Employer Award (June 2007)

AirTran Airways received the Visionary Employer Award from the Tommy Nobis Center in Atlanta. The award was given in honor of AirTran Airways’ efforts to employ visually impaired customer service representatives. Fred Cannon, director of reservations and customer service in Atlanta, worked with his colleagues to design a plan for hiring visually impaired customer service representatives and launched the program in December 2003. The Tommy Nobis Center assists individuals with disabilities who face barriers to employment and provides comprehensive vocational training, education and related services to maximize their success in the workplace.

Entrepreneur Magazine's Best Airline Value (April 2006)
As a five-time Best Low-Fare Airline award winner, AirTran Airways is a fixture on Entrepreneur Magazine's annual Business Travel Awards. This year the magazine awarded AirTran Airways the Best Airline Value. According to Entrepreneur Magazine:

"[AirTran Airways has] improved the business travel experience more for the greatest number of independent travelers. Fares are lower and restrictions fewer among nearly all airlines as a result of the influence of AirTran." To view the article in full, see the "Annual Business Travel Awards" on the Entrepreneur Magazine website.

Tony Jannus Award (March 2006)
Chairman and CEO Joe Leonard of AirTran Airways was honored as the 2006 winner of the Tony Jannus Award for his contributions to commercial aviation. In March 2006, a group of Tampa Bay area business leaders named Leonard the Jannus Award winner, and he received the award on October 12, 2006, at a banquet at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg, Fla.

For 44 years, the Tony Jannus Award has recognized extraordinary accomplishments in the field of commercial aviation. The award is given by the Tony Jannus Distinguished Aviation Society and is named in honor of the pilot of the first commercial airline flight, which flew from St. Petersburg to Tampa in 1914.

Entrepreneur Magazine's Best Low-Fare Airline for 2005 (April 2005)
For the fifth time, Entrepreneur Magazine recognized AirTran Airways as the nation's Best Low-Fare Airline in their 12th Annual Business Travel Awards. Entrepreneur Magazine highlights AirTran Airways by stating that, "Over the years, AirTran has followed a smart - but slow - path to success in the airline industry, winning over value-conscious business travelers and companies fed up with major airlines. That's because of its low fares and common-sense approach to air travel." "AirTran Airways is honored that Entrepreneur Magazine has recognized what our customers already know - that we are the best low-fare airline available today," said Joe Leonard, AirTran Airways' chairman and chief executive officer. "The 6,000 Crew Members of our airline work hard every day to keep AirTran Airways at the top of this competitive industry."

To view the article in full, see the "Annual Business Travel Awards" on the Entrepreneur Magazine website.

Corporate Friend of Children Award from the Child Welfare League of America (March 2005)
AirTran Airways received the 2005 Corporate Friend of Children Award from the Child Welfare League of America.The airline emphasizes community involvement, especially with organizations that benefit children, in each of its 40-plus markets. As part of its nomination for the award, CHRIS Kids, Inc., an Atlanta-based organization that provides treatment alternatives for less-fortunate children in the area, identified AirTran Airways as a "tireless and innovative supporter of the children and families within its corporate family and community."

PR Week Magazine's 2005 Small Corporate Communications Team of the Year - Honorable Mention (March 2005)
AirTran Airways' two-person Corporate Communications department was recognized by one of the public relations industry's top publications for it ability to manage communications in the company's 45 markets with only two staff members. The award recognizes success in addressing the spectrum of management issues and goals, and in handling corporate communications campaigns and programs, as well as the successful integration of other communications functions including advertising, event management, and web development into the PR function.

Aviation Week and Space Technology, Commercial Air Transport Award (2004)
AirTran Airways Chairman and CEO, Joe Leonard, was honored by the publisher Aviation Week and Space Technology with the prestigious Laureates Award. Created to honor extraordinary achievements in aviation and aerospace, the Laureates Award recognizes achievement in six categories: Aeronautics/Propulsion, Commercial Air Transport, Electronics, Government/Military, Operations and Space. Considered one of the most prestigious awards in aviation, Leonard received the Commercial Air Transport award.

The Laureates represent an elite class of distinguished men and women who epitomize the values and vision of the global aerospace industry. "This honor acknowledges what the rest of Joe's colleagues have always known - that Joe is a leader throughout the aviation industry," shared AirTran Airways President and COO Bob Fornaro. "His experience in the field and contributions to every facet of the company demonstrate that leadership on a daily basis. We're proud to have him recognized with this award."

Online Media, Marketing & Advertising (OMMA) Award for Airline Online Advertising (October 2004)
During Advertising Week in New York City in October 2004, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and MediaPost Communications hosted the first Online Media, Marketing & Advertising (OMMA) Awards to honor excellence in interactive marketing and advertising. AirTran Airways and its advertising agency Cramer-Krasselt, won an OMMA Award in the Purchase Intent/Sales category. The award recognized the airline's ongoing online advertising campaign that directs customers to the company's award-winning Web site, airtran.com, to purchase airline tickets.

Web Marketing Association Award for "Best Airline Website" (September 2004)
In September, AirTran Airways was awarded "Best Airline Website" by the Web Marketing Association (WMA) for its 2003 E-Annual Report. The WebAwards, now in its seventh year, is a prestigious event, and the leading annual award competition which judges website development against an increasingly high benchmark for Internet marketing.

AirTran Airways knows that marketing, especially Web marketing, is an essential tool in the travel industry. After making every effort to utilize the corporate Web site as an information source for customers and shareholders, AirTran Airways proudly accepted this award.