AirTran ends its association with Vick, won’t renew contract

ATLANTA -- AirTran Airways has ended its relationship with Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, who has been a pitchman for the airline since 2004 but whose image has been tarnished in several off-field incidents.

"Michael's contract expired May 8, and we decided to go in another direction," AirTran spokesman Tad Hutcheson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday.

Most recently, Vick's name has been dragged into an investigation of dogfighting in Surry, Va., after authorities confiscated dozens of dogs at property owned by Vick and said they found evidence related to fighting.

Among Vick's other publicity problems, security screeners at the Miami airport stopped him from boarding a flight in January with a water bottle that turned out to have a hidden compartment. Vick said he used it to store jewelry.