My question is about the original AirTran (prior to it's merger with Valujet.) It's my understanding that what became the original AirTran began service on October 26, 1993 and their name at the time was Conquest Sun.
From the
Wikipedia entry for AirTran:
The original AirTran Airways, a Boeing 737 operator with service to/from Orlando, was founded by AirTran Corporation, the holding company of Mesaba Airlines of Minneapolis, Minnesota, operating as a Northwest Airlink carrier with hubs in Minneapolis and Detroit. In 1994, AirTran Holdings purchased a start up 737 operator named Conquest Sun and renamed the airline AirTran Airways. Conquest Sun, similar to ValuJet, was an airline started by former Eastern Air Lines employees. The original AirTran Airways moved its headquarters to Orlando, Florida, and grew to 11 Boeing 737 aircraft serving 24 cities in the East and Midwest providing low-fare leisure travel to Orlando. In 1995, AirTran Airways was spun off by Mesaba and formed its own independent holding company named Airways Corporation.
Photo of Conquest Sun 737 at MIA in 1994
There was a separate airline (not related to Conquest Sun) called Conquest Airlines. It was a small commuter airline which was originally headquartered at BPT (Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX) and later moved to AUS and operated a small hub there. It was in operation from April 1988 until July 28, 1997.
Wikipedia entry for Conquest Airlines
Photo of Conquest Airlines Beech 1900C-1 at AUS in 1989
Check out the two photos of the planes. They're the exact same liveries (except the stripes don't go up the tail on the Beech like they do on the 737. Other than that, same logo, same colors, same font, same everything.
I wonder how Conquest Sun was able to use a livery that was already being used by a different airline with a similar name?