AirTran pilots reflect on past achievements, committed to the success of Southwest Airlines

Linden Hillman, chairman of the AirTran unit of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), issued the following statement in recognition of today’s corporate closing between AirTran Airways and Southwest Airlines.

“On behalf of the more than 1,700 pilots of AirTran Airways, I look forward to working with the new leadership of AirTran Airways during the merger process with Southwest Airlines. Our pilots are completely committed to the success of the combined company, and we believe that together with our counterparts at Southwest, we will succeed in building an unbeatable force in the airline industry.

“I would also like to express our gratitude to the executives and our fellow employees who helped shape AirTran into one of the most admired and successful airlines in America. We could not have reached this day without the vision of Mr. Bob Fornaro and the other members of our corporate leadership team, or the hard work of our pilots and all of the employees of AirTran Airways.”