ATLANTA, June 30 GA-AirTran-record-set
Guinness Record Set Days Before All AirTran Aircraft Have Inflight Internet
ATLANTA, June 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Like a returning hero, Mark Malkoff arrived in Atlanta today to applause and adulation from hundreds of adoring fans. Malkoff set the Guinness World Record for most flight segments in a 30-day period while keeping in touch with friends, fans and family via Gogo Inflight Internet on the airline's aircraft.
During the 30-day tour, Malkoff visited 38 cities, posted more than 1,000 tweets on his Twitter account and updated his Facebook page more than 700 times, all while taking more than 130 flights covering more than 109,000 miles while living onboard AirTran's new Boeing 717 and 737 aircraft. Some of his most memorable stops include: racing remote control cars with Danica Patrick in Richmond, Va.; being hosed down in Flint, Mich. by the Bishop International Airport Fire-Rescue Department for his first shower in weeks; and challenging the famous Klement's racing sausages to a foot race around an AirTran Airways aircraft in Milwaukee.
"What a long, strange trip it has been," said Malkoff. "The other night on a red eye flight I was told that I was muttering 'How are you baby wipes?' in my sleep. I'm extremely excited to be able to take a long, hot shower and see my wife Christine but I will definitely miss the thousands of AirTran Crew Members that have made me feel so welcome and at home."
During the 30-day adventure, Malkoff accumulated more than 100 frequent flier credits as an A+ Rewards Elite Member. To commemorate his World-Record accomplishment, AirTran Airways is giving away 100 of these credits to one lucky winner at http://www.markonairtran.com. On the site are also videos of Malkoff's adventures posted throughout his trip.
"Watching Mark fly day and night for the past 30 days has been amazing," said Tad Hutcheson, vice president of marketing and sales for AirTran Airways. "He was the fastest passenger ever to become an A+ Elite flyer and we're happy to be able to give these credits away to someone else so they can begin their own adventure."
During Malkoff's tour, AirTran also equipped every 737 in the fleet with Gogo Inflight Internet and dozens of 717s. The Company expects to have all aircraft Wi-fi enabled by mid-July and will be the first major airline to equip all of their planes with Inflight Internet.
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. The airline offers coast-to-coast flights on North America's newest all-Boeing fleet with 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
