Southwest to buy AirTran

Southwest Airlines is buying AirTran for about $1.4 billion. The companies said Monday that the new Southwest-Airtran operation would operate from more than 100 different airports and serve more than 100 million customers. In the Gulf Coast region, AirTran serves the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, New Orleans and Pensacola. Southwest Airlines serves New Orleans and Panama City Beach, Fla. (Source: Multiple, including AP via Sun Herald, Forbes, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 09/27/10)