A new era of convenient and affordable air travel began today as AirTran Airways flight 1002 pushed back from gate B2 just after noon with more than 100 passengers bound for Orlando, Florida.
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI), launched service today at Harrisburg International Airport in Harrisburg, Pa., with former Penn State and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jack Ham and Eric Madden, deputy secretary of transportation for Pennsylvania, in attendance to welcome AirTran Airways to the airport.
The airline offers daily nonstop roundtrip flights between Harrisburg International Airport and Orlando International Airport. The flights will be operated with the airline’s quiet and fuel-efficient Boeing 717 aircraft.
As part of the service launch, AirTran Airways hosted a celebratory event at the airport, featuring Ham running through a ceremonial barrier to symbolize the end to high fares in the Harrisburg area. AirTran Airways also incorporated the Make-A-Wish Foundation into the festivities by donating flights to the organization, which grants wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions, and presenting Make-A-Wish officials with an oversized boarding pass to demonstrate its commitment to the foundation.
“AirTran Airways will help bring fares down in Harrisburg and give vacationers a direct route to Orlando, one of the most popular leisure destinations in the country,” said Matthew Klein, director of pricing and distribution planning for AirTran Airways and a native of Lancaster.
“We are thrilled that AirTran Airways now provides convenient, high-quality and affordable daily nonstop service between Harrisburg International Airport and Orlando,” said Tim Edwards, executive director for Harrisburg International Airport. “Orlando is central Pennsylvania’s top destination for fun and excitement and is very popular for business travelers as well. Thanks to AirTran, driving hours out of your way for daily nonstop service to Orlando has become a thing of the past. With the region’s strong support, we look forward to earning more AirTran service in the future.”
The following nonstop service between Harrisburg International Airport and Orlando International Airport will begin November 20, unless otherwise indicated:
| From | To | Flight | Departs | Arrives | Frequency |
| Harrisburg | Orlando | 1002 | 12:22 p.m. | 2:55 p.m. | Daily |
| Orlando | Harrisburg | 1001 | 9:20 a.m. | 11:46 a.m. | Daily |
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI), a Fortune 1000 company,
is ranked number one in the 2008 Airline Quality Rating study. The airline offers coast-to-coast flights, North America’s newest all-Boeing fleet, friendly service and Business Class and complimentary XM Satellite Radio on every flight. To book a flight, visit
www.airtran.com.
Read more about this story online at www.flyhia.com/airtran!
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Now that AirTran Airways is the first major airline to have WiFi available on their entired aircraft fleet, they have authored an Internetiquette manual for inflight wireless network usage. Tips range from discouraging the use of the lavatory as your personal conference room (tip #134) to encouraging you to meet your row mates (tip #127) for the purpose of being friendly, not so that you can search for them online!
