AirTran Chief Honored With Jannus Award

AirTran Chief Honored With Jannus Award
Posted: March 15th, 2006 10:38 AM EDT

STEVE HUETTEL
St. Petersburg Times (Florida)

AirTran Airways was a company in crisis when airline veteran Joe Leonard took over the controls seven years ago.

Memories were still fresh of the 1996 crash in the Everglades of a DC-9 flown by its predecessor, ValuJet, that killed all 110 people. AirTran had lost money in 10 of 11 previous quarters. It was down to $10-million in cash, enough to fly just a few more weeks.

Today, AirTran runs up consistent profits in a struggling industry. AirTran has more passengers than any discount carrier except Southwest Airlines and expects to grow its fleet of 108 jets by 25 percent a year through 2008.

The stunning turnaround brought Leonard wide acclaim. On Tuesday, a group of Tampa Bay area business leaders named Leonard, 62, the 2006 winner of the annual Tony Jannus Award for his contributions to commercial aviation.

"Look at what he did bringing the airline from the precipice of disaster to great success," said Fred Piccolo, chief executive of Sarasota Bradenton International Airport. Customers at the airport endured high fares and skimpy service from traditional airlines until AirTran arrived in December 2004, lured by a $1.5-million federal grant and $500,000 in marketing money from Sarasota and Manatee counties.

AirTran now is the second biggest carrier, flying about 300,000 customers last year. The competition forced rivals such as Delta Air Lines and US Airways to beef up their schedules, said Piccolo.

At Tampa International Airport, AirTran is a smaller fish in a bigger pond. The airline ranks No. 7 - slightly bigger than Northwest and slightly smaller than United's discount arm, Ted, with just under 6 percent of all airport passengers.

AirTran's strategy boils down to keeping an eagle eye on costs so it can sell tickets at bargain basement prices. Leonard told USA Today he had an uncomplicated management approach: "Keep it simple, and say "no' a lot."

That doesn't make Leonard a boring guy. He's an avid pilot, qualified to fly the Boeing 737. He also likes to drive stock cars at the Richard Petty Driving Experience at Walt Disney World, and owns a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and a Maserati.

He will receive the Tony Jannus Award on Oct. 12 at a banquet at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg.

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"Keep it simple, and say "no' a lot."

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I hope that's not their customer service philosophy as well... AirTran is a very well run airline. They made the right choice with the combination of the 717s and the 737-700s, both proven reliable aircraft. AirTran last year said their success was hugely impart because of the 717. I just flew in on a 717 from Midwest this evening, the 717 really is one of the nicest planes in the air to fly on.