AirTran, ATL airport reach seven-year agreement

Travelers flying on AirTrain Airways will be spending a lot more time in Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, thanks to the completion of a seven-year master lease agreement for facilities, signed earlier this week.

AirTran Airways, based in Orlando, Fla., operates the world's largest low-cost carrier hub at Hartsfield-Jackson and has a considerable economic impact on the city, state and region. The low-cost carrier is the 25th largest employer in Atlanta and employs more than 6,000 crew members in the state.

"Finalizing our long-term lease with the city of Atlanta brings economic certainty to the airline and sets the platform for future growth," said Bob Fornaro, AirTran Airways' chairman, president and chief executive officer. "This agreement is good for the city, AirTran Airways and fans of low fares around the nation."

AirTran is the second largest airline at the world's busiest airport serving dozens of destinations around the country and throughout the Caribbean. While the news may be good for the city's economy, it may not be a positive for travelers - Atlanta's airport is one of the country's most notorious for flight delays.

In addition to flight operations at the airport, the airline also operates pilot and flight attendant bases, a maintenance hangar and base, two reservations centers, marketing and sales, security offices and corporate and flight training centers in the area.

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