Airtran Questions

[mom2aPrincess&Pirate]

I will be flying Airtran for the first time next month. I usually fly Southwest, but found a $49 fare on Airtran that I couldn't pass by!

I'm traveling alone on this trip and refused to pay the fee to select my seat on-line, so I'm just wondering what happens if you don't choose a seat? Do I get assigned a seat when I check-in at the airport? I don't care what type of seat I have - just curious how this all works so I don't look like an idiot!!

I change planes in Atlanta before getting to Orlando, so what happens here? Do I need to check-in again at the desk by the gate to get my seat assignment?

Sorry if these are dumb questions! I have flown SW for the last several years and have grown used to lining up by number to board and select any seat. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[bobbiwoz]

Gosh, I've never seen $49 fares for us!

When you check in 24 hours ahead of time, you get to pick your seats for free for both legs of the journey.

Bobbi

 

[JerseyDisneyGirl]

Not dumb at all. We flew AirTran and loved. Both flights left on time to the minute.

 

[Jlampley]

So glad you asked this question. We too are looking into flying Airtran out of Huntsville AL instead of SW out of Nashville as we have for 5 years straight. I'm nervous because we need three seats together. Two kids, one adult need to sit together.

 

[dudspizza]

Seats will be assigned when you check in. If you use online check in a seat will be assigned to you then with the option to choose another seat if available. If you wait until the airport you will get whatever they have, though you can ask for an aisle or window. I personally log on and try to get an aisle or window to avoid the middle seat.

Your seats will be assigned for BOTH flights when you originally check in and your luggage will be tagged all the way to your destination. You simply deplane in Atlanta and find the connecting gate. You will already have your boarding pass for the connecting flight. Just make sure to check the departures board when you land as the gate printed on your boarding pass may have changed while you were in flight.

Travel safe.

Duds

 

[azdizzymom]

If you are flying with kids and it is important that you sit together you are probably better off paying for seats than chancing that there will be seats left open at the 24 hour mark where you can all sit together. There is no guarantee of this or that there will be any at the airport. Yes, there probably will be BUT if for some reason most people pre-purchased and there are no seats together then you will not be guaranteed seats together. You can't expect people who paid for seats so they could sit together to move for people who chose not to pay ahead.

If I am misunderstanding what you are asking I apologize...but if it is important to sit together you might be better off prepaying since most flights are full or overbooked these days. Flying to Disney will guarantee there are lots of families with children who want to sit together, lots of people online exactly at the 24 hour mark and lots of people at airport early trying to get seats together. If you had prepaid for seats and someone asked you to move...would you...probably not! My kids are teenagers and we always pay for seats and I don't care that they would be fine by themselves I certainly would not move for anyone. I want my family together.....and if that is important please consider prepaying...if it is a money issue cut expenses on souveniers, eating out, etc.

 

[dudspizza]

If you are flying with kids and it is important that you sit together you are probably better off paying for seats than chancing that there will be seats left open at the 24 hour mark where you can all sit together. There is no guarantee of this or that there will be any at the airport. Yes, there probably will be BUT if for some reason most people pre-purchased and there are no seats together then you will not be guaranteed seats together. You can't expect people who paid for seats so they could sit together to move for people who chose not to pay ahead.

If I am misunderstanding what you are asking I apologize...but if it is important to sit together you might be better off prepaying since most flights are full or overbooked these days. Flying to Disney will guarantee there are lots of families with children who want to sit together, lots of people online exactly at the 24 hour mark and lots of people at airport early trying to get seats together. If you had prepaid for seats and someone asked you to move...would you...probably not! My kids are teenagers and we always pay for seats and I don't care that they would be fine by themselves I certainly would not move for anyone. I want my family together.....and if that is important please consider prepaying...if it is a money issue cut expenses on souveniers, eating out, etc.

She is flying alone. I have quoted her second paragraph below.

I'm traveling alone on this trip and refused to pay the fee to select my seat on-line, so I'm just wondering what happens if you don't choose a seat? Do I get assigned a seat when I check-in at the airport? I don't care what type of seat I have - just curious how this all works so I don't look like an idiot!!

 

[azdizzymom]

So glad you asked this question. We too are looking into flying Airtran out of Huntsville AL instead of SW out of Nashville as we have for 5 years straight. I'm nervous because we need three seats together. Two kids, one adult need to sit together.

DUDSPIZZA---this is the one I was directing info at...guess I had miss OP's original info about flying alone but my concern was this and not paying for seats! Thanks for the quote on OP of this thread appreciate the showing me what I missed! Guess glasses are there for a reason!

 

[Inkmahm]

So glad you asked this question. We too are looking into flying Airtran out of Huntsville AL instead of SW out of Nashville as we have for 5 years straight. I'm nervous because we need three seats together. Two kids, one adult need to sit together.

If you need to sit together, then you need to pay for your seat assignments in advance to assure that.


I pay for seat assignments when I'm traveling with DH (most of the time) but when I am on Airtran alone, I don't pay unless I see the plane filling up. I don't want a middle seat but otherwise I'm flexible on aisle or window anywhere in the plane.

 

[ccgirl]

As PP stated; flying alone you can check in at the 24 hr mark and get an assigned seat. I wouldn't pay either if I didn't car where I sat (which I don't when I am not with my children).

If flying with children; you will want to pay for the seat if you want to sit together. I paid the $6 per seat for my family of 4 because it was important for me that we sat together. Figured the $48 (round trip) was worth the piece of mind as it is an actual seat and not just a boarding number. Plus, the fare was still way less than other airlines even with the fees.

Have fun!

 

[AuroraAcerbis]

Inkmahm's comment about the plane filling up got me to look at the seating charts for our flights next week. Lo and behold, the last row of seats are free to reserve on some of the bigger planes, so that is what I did to keep DH, DFIL, and I together on the plane.

Something to think about if you want to sit together but don't want to pay to pick your seats ahead of time!