DBaker:

1) Do you not realize that there were only two fires on FL in 2000? One was due to a PASSENGERS curling iron in the cargo hold(956), and the other was due to wiring. The wiring incident prompted FL execs to have all the DC9 wiring looked at, and there haven't been any fires for at least 18 months.

2) The two 717s: One had a switch short out, causing a little thing of smoke to appear in the cockpit. The pilots decided to perform an emergency landing.

3) That statistic can't be valid through 12/31/01. Why? They had that exact same statistic since before 9/11, and well before FL956 happened. Considering that FL had well over 170000 flights in 2000 and 2001 alone, I go with LarryJs point of view that they are from just Valujet.

4) I already said that VJet was much different in terms of safety compared to AirTran is nowadays.

5) I don't consider 956 to be a big deal in giving FL blame. Yes it was bad, but as said above a passenger's curling iron set off the flames. The fire suppression system was going to be installed two weeks before the incident happened, and suppression systems were on most FL DC9s already. I consider this situation to be like 9/11 in how it is "bad". Yes, it was a terrible thing to happen, but it isn't the airline's fault.

6) My example with MidEx was that while you and I both agree that they are a safe airline, according to the airdisaster.com statistic, they are right behind VJet with 3.85 fatal accidents per 1 million flights. Lies, **** lies and statistics.

7) All airlines have an isolated incident such as the GSO flight. Remember the Delta MD11 in CLT back in April? It only took EIGHT minutes to evacuate with all the doors working when it should take just 90 seconds. 3 people broke bones, and 6 more were injured. All airlines have incidents every now and then.

Face it: AirTran is much safer today than it was 6 years ago. It is as safe as any other airline.