Actual experience airtran through southwest

[ktate82]

We have a SW booking on Airtran and today I checked in right at the 24 hour mark for our party of 4 and our friends party of 5. I did us first and our group of 4 got 2 together in separate rows (16 and 20). Our friends traveling with 5 got row 11 all together.

Liking this! We are going to be flying in Sept on an Airtran flight booked from SW, but on points, so 4 different check in numbers. I'm hoping that we will at least get two and two if we can't all get together.

 

[Wanna be Ariel]

We have a SW booking on Airtran and today I checked in right at the 24 hour mark for our party of 4 and our friends party of 5. I did us first and our group of 4 got 2 together in separate rows (16 and 20). Our friends traveling with 5 got row 11 all together.

This is great to hear!
Thank you for sharing and have a wonderful trip

 

[Piglets Mommy]

Liking this! We are going to be flying in Sept on an Airtran flight booked from SW, but on points, so 4 different check in numbers. I'm hoping that we will at least get two and two if we can't all get together.

That is us...4 different confirmation numbers because it is on points. Making matters worse, there is a connection in ATL, so 2 different flights to worry about. I hope we can at least get 2 and 2. The upside is that my husband booked it this time, so it won't be "my fault"

 

[ktate82]

That is us...4 different confirmation numbers because it is on points. Making matters worse, there is a connection in ATL, so 2 different flights to worry about. I hope we can at least get 2 and 2. The upside is that my husband booked it this time, so it won't be "my fault":lmao:

What? But I thought it's "always his fault"?

 

[airplanegod]

Kind of unrelated from all of you. I am flying alone in October from Tampa to Baltimore. Let's say when I check in online I get assigned an aisle/middle seat. How easy (assuming the flight isn't full) would it be for me to switch it at the airport to a window seat?

 

[leebee]

That is us...4 different confirmation numbers because it is on points. Making matters worse, there is a connection in ATL, so 2 different flights to worry about. I hope we can at least get 2 and 2. The upside is that my husband booked it this time, so it won't be "my fault"

Us, too, although only three different reservations. I am going to pull up all three reservations in different windows, and at the 24 hour point hit them boom, boom, boom, and see if we can get seats near/next to each other. Otherwise, we'll hope for the best at the airport. It doesn't really matter, as it's me, DH, and DD19, but it's more fun, and more comfy, to sit with family and raise the arm rests between the seats!

I cannot wait for Southwest to get this all ironed out! I am so glad to be flying for free, but it's annoying to have to deal with the AT through SW seating issue.

 

[ChristineOH]

No I am worried about my flight home on AT that I booked through SW. I understand how the "cattle call" works(have flown SW a million times and AT just as much) I am worried that some people booked through AT have picked their seats while me(and others) booked through SW and have to wait to see what is left. There is 3 of just and one is my DS2 and now that it is a full flight that concerns me that it might really be hard for all of us to sit together.

Do your best to get checked in ASAP and see what is available.

If there are no seats together, choose the best seats you can, even if they aren't anywhere near each other. (i.e. aisle seats first choice, window second, front of plane) That way you have a decent seat to trade with. It is much easier to ask the person in the aisle next to your daughter's middle seat to trade his aisle seat for your aisle seat, rather than ask someone in a nice aisle seat to move elsewhere and be stuck in the middle. Or, if you can offer someone in a middle seat your aisle seat, usually they are thrilled to move.

Then, alert the counter agent or gate agent as soon as you can to your situation. They often can move someone and get you squared away. If not, they are often very helpful in alerting the flight attendant, who can help find someone to trade with you on board. In general, people are helpful about moving so a mom can be by her two year old.

I have been there, done that, many times. I always pay to get seats together, but it's not always possible. The unknown is always stressful, but it seems to work out every time.

Good luck!!!

 

[DebbieB]

Do your best to get checked in ASAP and see what is available.

If there are no seats together, choose the best seats you can, even if they aren't anywhere near each other. (i.e. aisle seats first choice, window second, front of plane) That way you have a decent seat to trade with. It is much easier to ask the person in the aisle next to your daughter's middle seat to trade his aisle seat for your aisle seat, rather than ask someone in a nice aisle seat to move elsewhere and be stuck in the middle. Or, if you can offer someone in a middle seat your aisle seat, usually they are thrilled to move.

Then, alert the counter agent or gate agent as soon as you can to your situation. They often can move someone and get you squared away. If not, they are often very helpful in alerting the flight attendant, who can help find someone to trade with you on board. In general, people are helpful about moving so a mom can be by her two year old.

I have been there, done that, many times. I always pay to get seats together, but it's not always possible. The unknown is always stressful, but it seems to work out every time.

Good luck!!!

From what I understand, if you booked AT through SW, you don't get to choose seats, they are automatically assigned.

 

[ChristineOH]

From what I understand, if you booked AT through SW, you don't get to choose seats, they are automatically assigned.

Thanks for clarifying. It looks like I misinterpreted the website saying, "Seats are assigned at check-in."

It does appear they are computer assigned, so the airport agents are your only resource. Now I'm REALLY glad I went ahead and booked on AirTran, even though they have baggage fees.

Wow, that's ridiculous. I can't believe this merger has dragged out with so many issues. And they're missing out on an opportunity to charge for something... hard to believe.

Good luck to all of you!

 

[Belle599]

Just flew BUF to MCO and then back on AirTran booking through Southwest.

I checked in online on Southwest at the 24 hour mark and was assigned 11D on the way there, and 11A on the way back.

On and AT plane, the first 3 rows are business class so you won't be assigned those. The 4th row is actually row 10 aka the bulkhead row. This row you can only get when you check in at the airport, so it will not be auto assigned at the 24 hour online check in.

Row 11 is the first row that the system can assign you. Based on my experiences, I think the system begins at the front of the plane and looks for the first spot that will fit your party.

Since I was flying solo obviously it was easier for the system to put me in row 11 where there was a gap that needed filling.

Both these flights I was on were only 1/2 full so there was plenty of room for overhead luggage.

My advice for large groups is to book on the same confirmation and check in exactly at the 24 hour mark.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Kind of unrelated from all of you. I am flying alone in October from Tampa to Baltimore. Let's say when I check in online I get assigned an aisle/middle seat. How easy (assuming the flight isn't full) would it be for me to switch it at the airport to a window seat?

If you have a middle seat assigned, it will likely be very difficult or impossible to switch to an aisle or window seat on a full plane.

 

[airplanegod]

If you have a middle seat assigned, it will likely be very difficult or impossible to switch to an aisle or window seat on a full plane.

Oh, I know that, thanks. I am going to check in as early as I can, and if the seat doesn't meet my standards (Again, assuming the flight isn't filled) I am going to go to the Southwest ticket counter (Airtran doesn't serve there) at BDL to see what they can do...

 

[katie111]

I just checked in for my flight tomorrow on Airtran. Booked with SW points and am traveling alone with my 3 kids ages 10, 9 & 6. I was really worried about the 6 year old sitting alone, the other 2 would be fine. However, when I checked in on-line I got 4 seats in a row and they are in the 10th row. I am so excited. We had 4 different confirmation #'s so I expected to be all over the plane and I also checked in about 1/2 hour after the 24 hour mark.

Hope the flight home goes as well!

 

[hsmamato2]

What I saw last week...flying thru MDW from BDL- SLC...... FULL planes each time,and after seeing the connectors,I will try to avoid connecting thru Chicago in the future....I don't know if it's the merge, but things are busy, and the gate agents/attendants were quite firm about the rules, don't 'save' seats with a bag,they'll move it, don't try to get into line before your bp says you're allowed to, families with babies go after the A group.... MDW was awful all around, just TOO many people everywhere....I will try to avoid AT flights thru SWA too,till they get it more simple- Still love SWA for many reasons,but they are running full flights now more than I noticed before.just my 2 cents

 

[Piglets Mommy]

I just checked in for my flight tomorrow on Airtran. Booked with SW points and am traveling alone with my 3 kids ages 10, 9 & 6. I was really worried about the 6 year old sitting alone, the other 2 would be fine. However, when I checked in on-line I got 4 seats in a row and they are in the 10th row. I am so excited. We had 4 different confirmation #'s so I expected to be all over the plane and I also checked in about 1/2 hour after the 24 hour mark.

Hope the flight home goes as well!

That is awesome news!
I was worried that withe 4 different confirmation numbers, it would put us in 4 single seats all over the plane. Happy to hear that it assigned you together!

 

[MScott1851]

I booked our flights from Memphis to Orlando on AirTran through SWA because I had 75,000+ rapid rewards miles to burn and really didnt want to have to pay for our flights. I paid $7.50 out of pocket to book Airtran via SWA nonstop at my home airport, vs. paying $680 + $300 in baggage fees plus seat fees on top of that had we booked through AirTran. Nearest airport that is strictly SWA is Nashville, so that would have been a three hour drive to and from the airport.

I'll gladly take my chances on seat assignments to save $1100. I don't want to sit with my four year old DD anyway. she's a veteran flier and really does well, but it's because I work my butt off to entertain her. Let my hubby or someone else do that this time. Hahaha!

 

[leebee]

Just checked in at 24 hours in advance for our flight tomorrow; PWM-BWI on SW, BWI-DAY on AT. I bought the early bird before I realized that it wouldn't count for the AT segment.

SW: We have A17 and A18
AT: We have 12D and 12E, which is an aisle and a middle seat.

I am fine with these assignments. However, DH prefers to have an aisle seat where his right leg can be extended into the aisle, so this seat is on the wrong side for his bad knee. We will try to get these reassigned at the airport tomorrow morning; I checked the AT site and there appears to be many, many available seats. WE'll see... but I am happy enough with the seating we were given, so if we cannot change, it'll be OK.

UPDATE: I am sitting in BWI right now. Changed the AT seat assignments when we checked our bags in PWM with SOuthwest. Easy-peasy, although I am glad we did it there because her in BWI they just announced that the AT flight is full. All is fine with the flights, although there's an unattended backpack here in the BWI terminal that is making the gate agents and TSA a little nervous...

 

[WendyWuWu]

DH and I are flying SW out of Nashville to Raleigh then on to Orlando. In Raleigh, our son will join us. DH and I will be on a SW yet from Nashville to Raleigh, then we change planes to Air Tran (booked from SW site) to continue on to Orlando. I always buy the early bird check in as I'm usually at work when the 24 hour mark occurs, but I know that only means our first leg (and last leg flying home) means we'll already be checked in. So how does this work? I am sure they'll know to get our bags onto the Air Tran flight, but do we still have to "check in" somehow for the AT flight? Or will we just go to the desk at the gate and check in after we land in Raleigh? Also, DS's connection is only the Raleigh to Orlando leg. Does he check in at the Air Tran desk or SW? And does he check in at the 24 hour mark on the SW website or AT website? This is all very confusing to me.
I wish we'd just booked the direct flight from BNA to MCO, but DH wanted to connect in RUD so DS could ride down on the same flight with us so as to not have to meet up in the MCO airport.
Help if you can. TIA

 

[kaytieeldr]

EBCI covers you and your husband for all legs in one direction.

Your son checks in 24 hours before his flight departs and will get his seat assignment then.

 

[DebbieB]

Oh, I know that, thanks. I am going to check in as early as I can, and if the seat doesn't meet my standards (Again, assuming the flight isn't filled) I am going to go to the Southwest ticket counter (Airtran doesn't serve there) at BDL to see what they can do...

AirTran does now serve BDL (you are getting on their plane there) but most likely has a shared ticket counter with SW.