[Why We Fly]
AirTran's Fleet of DC-9s and 737 Aircraft:
The World's Most Durable Aircraft

The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 and the Boeing 737 aircraft have proven themselves to be among the most durable and reliable jet aircraft ever built. Referred to as the "workhorses" of the aviation industry, the DC-9 and 737 continue to be the world's most reliable aircraft, as evidence by AirTran's strong on-time, completion and dispatch reliability figures. A few facts about the DC-9 and 737:
  • Approximately 850 DC-9s are currently in service at 66 airlines around the globe.
  • Northwest Airlines has the largest number of DC-9s in its fleet. According to Northwest's chief safety officer, "the DC-9 is the most reliable aircraft we own, with the best maintenance reliability of any aircraft type in Northwest's fleet.
  • A 1989 McDonnell Douglas study concluded that "in summary, all available data from service, testing and analytical studies conclude that with proper maintenance and inspections the life of the DC-9 airplane is well beyond 100,000 flights, and is ... limited only by economics."
  • The 737 is the best selling commercial jetliner of all time. More than 2,700 have been delivered to more than 250 customers in 95 countries.
  • The 737 fleet has made more than 62 million flights and has a dispatch reliability rate of 99.4 percent.
AirTran's Flight and Maintenance Crews:
Experienced Professionals Who Make
Safety Their Top Priority

The safety of an airline starts at the top. No one in the industry is more committed to running a safe and reliable operation than Corr, Swenson and Jensen. Their on-going dedication to safety is well documented.

Following their lead are AirTran's pilots and mechanics - all are seasoned professionals.

A few facts and figures about AirTran's flight crews:

  • The average experience of AirTran captains is 12,661 flight hours.
  • The total average experience of AirTran's pilots, captains and first officers, is more than 9375 flight hours.
  • AirTran pilots have flown more than 5,000 military missions and earned over 4,000 military decorations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Silver Star and the Air Medal.
AirTran's mechanics take great pride in each aircraft they work on. The average AirTran mechanic has more than 12 years experience in the industry. Our state-of-the-art maintenance facility in Orlando is among the newest in the country.

Simply stated, safety is our first priority at AirTran. It starts at the top -- from our CEO to our pilots, flight attendants, gate agents to our baggage handlers and everybody else. After all, no one flies AirTran more than our employees and their families.

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