May 2, 2011 - 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.”