ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI) and the NFL's Baltimore Ravens today unveiled a custom-painted, purple and black Boeing 717 dubbed, Ravens 1.

"Our partnership with the Ravens is now literally flying high and we are so excited about adding this great looking aircraft to our fleet," said Kirk Thornburg, AirTran Airways' vice president of maintenance and engineering. "We are happy to demonstrate our commitment to this great franchise and thriving city with this beautifully painted aircraft."

Millions of people will see the plane as it serves cities on AirTran Airways' route network of more than 60 destinations.

"The Baltimore Ravens are excited about the arrival of Ravens 1," said Kevin Rochlitz, vice president of national sales for the Baltimore Ravens. "We look forward to seeing the Ravens and AirTran Airways brands flying together throughout AirTran's network, emphasizing their commitment to the Baltimore Ravens and the community."

To celebrate the unique livery, AirTran Airways and the Ravens challenged staffers from Franklin Square Hospital, which is supported by Ravens tight end Todd Heap, to pull the aircraft for charity. The airline rewarded their successful attempt with a $10,000 donation to the hospital.

Ravens 1 marks the second team-themed aircraft in the AirTran Airways fleet. Two weeks ago, the airline unveiled Falcons 1 and will introduce Colts 1 in the coming weeks.

AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI) and a Fortune 1000 company, has been ranked the number one low cost carrier in the Airline Quality Rating study for the past two years. AirTran is the only major airline with Wi-Fi on every flight and offers coast-to-coast service on North America's newest all-Boeing fleet. Its low-cost, high-quality product also includes assigned seating, Business Class and complimentary XM Satellite Radio on every flight. To book a flight, visit http://www.airtran.com.

    Media Contacts:  AirTran Airways
                     Christopher White
                     Cynthia Tinsley-Douglas
                     678.254.7442

SOURCE AirTran Airways