AirTran Airways First 737-700 with Blended Winglets Takes Off

AirTran Airways' first Boeing 737-700 aircraft with Blended Winglets was placed into service on September 13, 2005, on flight 502 from Miami to Atlanta.

The winglets, manufactured by Aviation Partners Boeing as a joint venture between Aviation Partners Inc. and The Boeing Company, are eight-foot vertical extensions of the aircraft's wingtips. The new winglet technology improves the efficiency of the wing in both takeoff and cruise contributing to an annual fuel savings of approximately 90,000 gallons of fuel per aircraft per year.

AirTran Airways has ordered winglets for 15 of its Boeing 737s leased from General Electric Commercial Aviation Service (GECAS), and has options to add winglets to future deliveries of new Boeing 737s. Installation of the winglets will continue into early 2006.

"Blended Winglet technology has been proven to reduce fuel consumption and increase aircraft performance. In this time of high energy costs, we are investing in new technology to improve the efficiency of our operation," said Robert L. Fornaro, AirTran Airways' president and chief operating officer.

"At AirTran Airways, we keep our costs down so we may continue to offer low fares and great value to our customers."

FMI: www.airtran.com, www.boeing.com