ValuJet Airlines

Ghost Corp Apparel — resurrecting iconic corporate ghosts.

ValuJet Airlines was one of the most recognizable names from the 1990s low-cost airline boom. Founded in 1992 and headquartered in the Atlanta area, ValuJet began flying in 1993 with a simple formula: used aircraft, low fares, and rapid expansion from its Atlanta hub. Before long, its brightly colored planes and distinctive smiling “Critter” logo were appearing at airports throughout the eastern United States.

ValuJet grew remarkably quickly, but its rise came to an abrupt turning point on May 11, 1996, when Flight 592 crashed in the Florida Everglades following an in-flight cargo fire. All 110 people aboard were killed. The NTSB determined that improperly transported chemical oxygen generators were involved in starting the fire, and the accident led to major scrutiny of both ValuJet and airline cargo-fire safety regulations.

ValuJet resumed flying with a much smaller operation, but the brand never fully recovered. In 1997, its parent company acquired AirTran Airways and adopted the AirTran name. On November 17, 1997, ValuJet Airlines officially became AirTran Airlines, bringing the short and turbulent ValuJet era to an end. The operations were subsequently consolidated into AirTran Airways.

Five years was enough to make ValuJet one of the most unforgettable airline names of the 1990s.

Our ValuJet Airlines collection remembers the colorful Critter logo, bargain-fare era, Atlanta hub, and a distinctive airline brand that burned brightly, expanded rapidly, and disappeared almost as quickly as it arrived.