Southwest Airlines' Definitive Agreement to Acquire AirTran

Southwest Airlines has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire AirTran Holdings, Inc., a parent company of AirTran Airways (AirTran). Although the closing of the deal depends on a number of approvals, we're all very excited about what it can mean for the Customers, Employees, Communities, and Shareholders of both organizations.

If approved, the acquisition will allow Southwest to offer low fares and exceptional Customer Service in more markets and to more loyal Customers like you.


More Access to More Destinations

Our new, broader national presence will benefit many markets as a result of increased competition stimulated by Southwest's low fares and well-known brand. This includes significant opportunities to and from Atlanta, the largest domestic market we do not serve. It expands our presence in key markets, like New York LaGuardia, Boston Logan, and Baltimore/Washington, as well as enables us to serve Washington D.C. via Ronald Reagan National Airport. Also, it presents the opportunity to provide access to key international leisure markets in the Caribbean and Mexico, and extend our service to many smaller domestic cities that we don't serve today.


What Changes Today?

There are no changes to the way you travel on Southwest today or in the near future. Until the transaction closes and we've received the required regulatory and AirTran Stockholder approvals, Southwest and AirTran will continue to operate as independent companies. After closing, Southwest plans, over time, to integrate AirTran into the Southwest Airlines brand to develop a consistent Customer Experience.

This, of course, includes combining the carriers' frequent flyer programs. Meanwhile, credits and awards in both programs remain valid, and you will continue to earn credits by flying or using our partners just as you do today.

There's a lot of work to be done and decisions to be made. We'll keep you informed of developments. In the meantime, we invite you to visit a special website we've created – www.lowfaresfarther.com – where you'll find regularly updated news and information about the deal.

A Way of Life Worth Preserving

by Hunter Harman, Price Rainer and John David Sullivan

Like everyone else along the Gulf coast, we’ve watched
the events unfold with the Deep Horizon Oil Spill
with great interest and concern. Fear of the unknown
haunts us all—and the one thing that all sides can agree
on is that we are faced with a multitude of unknowns in
regards to this disaster. As we write this column in July,
our beaches have received a surprisingly low impact of
oil product in comparison with surrounding areas, and
anything that has washed ashore has been quickly cleaned
and removed. We hope that this remains true, but we also
realize that we can’t expect to avoid the oil entirely.

2010 was poised to be a breakout year for the South
Walton real estate market with 205 home sales from
January 1st to June 30th in comparison to 179 home
sales for the same time period in 2009. We felt a stronger
interest from buyers as compared to previous years and
saw a leveling out of inventory. Post oil spill, we’ve noticed
two different trends in our prospective buyers. There are
the more cautious clients who have chosen to take a ‘wait
and see’ approach. They are still planning to buy; however
they are waiting to make sure that the oil leak can be
stopped before continuing on with their purchases. The
other group of buyers is our clients who are deciding to
forge ahead with their closings and feel that there is no
better time to make an offer. We observed a halt in new
buyers during mid-May in relation to the spill, however
many of our top clients believe that this pause may be
the last ‘bottom’ buying opportunity before the leak is
stopped completely and all clean-up efforts finished. The
local market has corrected close to 45 percent in some areas
and there are great properties available—and plenty of
reasons to still want to be a South Walton homeowner.

If anything, waiting and watching the oil slick travel
around the Gulf has made us all value each beautiful, oil
free day we’ve had this summer that much more than we
would have a typical summer day. We’ve learned to fully
respect the extraordinary beauty found in our beaches
and appreciate the ordinary day to day activities that are
easily taken for granted. We’ve watched our community
come together to prepare for the worst with bravery and
commitment to protecting our way of life. We’ve had
time to organize our efforts and we believe that any future
impacts from the spill will boil down to clean-up which
is something that everyone seems to be committed to,
from BP to local and state governments to independent
organizations such as the St. Joe Corporation.

Our local government has been proactive in keeping
the community and prospective visitors informed and
updated with current conditions. Local agencies have
proven to be committed to preparedness and open
communication. For example, The Walton County
Tourist Development Council developed an official blog
that is updated daily with beach conditions and real time
pictures of area beach accesses to keep the public informed
of actual impacts. The Sheriff ’s office posts air and water
quality testing results as they come available, along with
detailed accounts of oil prevention actions and efforts.
On an independent level, community organizations
are taking steps to contribute to the county’s response.
The Emerald Coast Surfrider Foundation has taken the
initiative to test gulf waters for presence of dispersant in
the water to ensure that all avenues are being explored
to determine water safety conditions. In South Walton,
we have the resources and the organization to tackle any
effects from this disaster with full force, backed by an
overwhelming love for our community to ensure that all
efforts will be made.

We’ve been so pleased to see just how many families
have kept their vacation plans and visited South Walton
throughout the summer. It is easy to become overwhelmed
with all of the media coverage, and the fact that so many
people have continued to visit our beaches is a testament
to the value that this area holds. South Walton truly is
a one of a kind location possessing some of the most
beautiful beaches and the most charming coastal towns in
the world. This area has survived devastating hurricanes
and our local economy has persevered through recessions.
In the same way that we’ve been challenged before, the
Deep Horizon Oil Spill will only make us stronger and
more united as we work together to preserve the way of
life that can only be found along Scenic Highway 30-A.
Visit www.beachpropertiesofflorida.com for additional information.