Acquisition Information

On May 2, 2011, Southwest Airlines announced the closing of its acquisition of AirTran Holdings, Inc., the former parent company of AirTran Airways, Inc. (AirTran). Southwest will now begin the gradual integration of AirTran into the Southwest Airlines brand. Eventually, the integration of the two airlines will result in an expansion of already low fares and outstanding service for consumers, but change will not be immediate. The airlines will communicate to Customers prior to any changes that will directly impact the way they currently travel on Southwest or AirTran. For now, it’s business as usual.

Southwest currently expects that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will grant the airline a Single Operating Certificate (SOC) in the first quarter of 2012, at which time Southwest will work toward full integration. After SOC is achieved, Southwest will gradually transition the AirTran fleet into the Southwest paint scheme—one color, one brand. Ultimately, this acquisition will create an expanded low-cost, low-fare carrier with outstanding Customer Service and a unique Culture. Customers will be informed throughout the process with updates on southwest.com, airtran.com and lowfaresfarther.com. In the meantime, Employees from both airlines will continue doing what they’ve always done—delivering world-class Customer Service, operating efficiently and Safely, and taking care of our Customers.

Learn more: AirTran Acquisition FAQ