AirTran to resume Coast service

GULFPORT — AirTran Airways has made public plans to resume scheduled service from Gulfport/Biloxi to the carrier’s hub in Atlanta and add new service from Gulfport/Biloxi to Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla.

This service will begin Jan. 8, and will replace existing charter service to Atlanta. Flights to Atlanta and Tampa/St. Petersburg will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays with the airline’s Wi-Fi-equipped Boeing 717.

“Since beginning charter operations in July, we have been very excited about the response to our flights,” said Kevin Healy, AirTran’s senior vice president, marketing and planning.

By transitioning from chartered service to regularly scheduled flights to Atlanta, residents of the Mississippi Gulf Coast will also have access to virtually the entire AirTran network of more than 60 cities.