The planes have been repainted, the seats refurbished, and more business-class seats installed.
Employees now dress more formally, and receive more training.
Most important, following the ValuJet crash the government carefully scrutinized AirTran's safety. While the company has not made a profit since the crash, the prospects look good for later in 1998. AirTran is undercutting the fares charged by major airlines, and the average fare is rising, indicating more business-class passengers are being served. Complaints are down, but the going is still tough. Some people continue to be wary of AirTran because of its safety history.