Seat Selction with AirTran?

[webworm]

I just booked flights with AirTran last night but I didn't select any seats. This is my first time flying with them but does anyone know if I login to book 5 seats 24hrs prior to departure do you generally see a fair selection? If I get 3 and 2 that's fine because two of my kids are teenagers anyhow. Even when I did check out seats last night there were not that many available for selection but that could be because the airlines blocks a lot of them until 24hrs prior to departure.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I think it depends on where you are flying from.

I flew Airtran in Nov. and did pay for our seats up front. We were flying from Atlanta.
There weren't many seats left to chose from that were together when I bought my ticket so the people who were waiting until the 24 hour mark were mostly going to have to sit seperate from their families.

I bought my tickets one month before we flew if that helps at all.

 

[Kevenswife2]

I think it depends on where you are flying from.

...and WHEN you're flying.

We're flying AirTran during Spring Break time and the plane seating charts show it as being a couple of seats short of 'full'. That's why I paid the extra and chose our seats.

 

[CarolA]

I just booked flights with AirTran last night but I didn't select any seats. This is my first time flying with them but does anyone know if I login to book 5 seats 24hrs prior to departure do you generally see a fair selection? If I get 3 and 2 that's fine because two of my kids are teenagers anyhow. Even when I did check out seats last night there were not that many available for selection but that could be because the airlines blocks a lot of them until 24hrs prior to departure.

AirTran blocks some seats for thier frequent flyers, but not "a lot" IMHO it's probably going to be tough to get that 3 and 2. A couple of two's maybe.....

 

[Kevenswife2]

On my March 27 (Friday) flight to MCO there are only two rows with 3 empty seats next to each other and the 6 exit row seats ($20 each). All other rows have at least the middle seat reserved...splitting all rows up.

I didn't want to keep looking over a stranger to talk to DD10.

 

[CarolA]

On my March 27 (Friday) flight to MCO there are only two rows with 3 empty seats next to each other and the 6 exit row seats ($20 each). All other rows have at least the middle seat reserved...splitting all rows up.

I didn't want to keep looking over a stranger to talk to DD10.

Well.... the truth is that AirTran does block that middle seat. But that does not mean anyone reserved it (WHO would?) On some flights AirTran flies a plane that only has two seats on one side. Apparently they find it too costly to build two seat maps. So they just show the normal seat map with the middle reserved!

 

[Kevenswife2]

Well.... the truth is that AirTran does block that middle seat. But that does not mean anyone reserved it (WHO would?) On some flights AirTran flies a plane that only has two seats on one side. Apparently they find it too costly to build two seat maps. So they just show the normal seat map with the middle reserved!

Well, that would explain what I'm seeing. My nonstop flight is 3/3 seats across but all the flights with 'stops' show 2/3 seating.

And if they are 'blocking' the middle row (because it's just too hard to use the 2/3 map...maybe that's how they know at a glance if it's a nonstop flight or not) there are still lots of 2 seats together.

I learn something new on here every day!

 

[Inkmahm]

Well, that would explain what I'm seeing. My nonstop flight is 3/3 seats across but all the flights with 'stops' show 2/3 seating.

And if they are 'blocking' the middle row (because it's just too hard to use the 2/3 map...maybe that's how they know at a glance if it's a nonstop flight or not) there are still lots of 2 seats together.

I learn something new on here every day!

I think they don't use the 3/3 chart even if they think they'll be using the larger plane. They just show that middle seat as being blocked. It's easier to add a whole set of seats (row b) than take them away after customers have booked them.

 

[cbrfan]

If AirTran shows 2/3 seating, it's because they anticipate using a 717 for that flight. If they show 3/3 it's because they anticipate using a 737. If the middle seat is blocked it usually means they haven't determined which of the two aircraft will be used. Just because you book seats with a certain configuration it doesn't mean that's what you're going to end up on. So they tend to leave the middle seats blocked so there's less passenger shuffling if there's a change.

 

[dudspizza]

If AirTran shows 2/3 seating, it's because they anticipate using a 717 for that flight. If they show 3/3 it's because they anticipate using a 737. If the middle seat is blocked it usually means they haven't determined which of the two aircraft will be used. Just because you book seats with a certain configuration it doesn't mean that's what you're going to end up on. So they tend to leave the middle seats blocked so there's less passenger shuffling if there's a change.

Agreed. I have seen this on the MSP-MCO route. We have mainly been on the 717 with the 2x3 seating, but they also run the 737 with the 3x3 seating. A quick search of todays flights MSP-MCO and MSP-ATL-MCO show that they are flying both. So, they block the middle seat on the A-B-C side just in case they choose to fly a 717. If it is a 717, they seating is A-C-D-E-F.

Duds