Air Tran Airways... any good?

[Chicago526]

The lack of interairline agreements is the biggest difference between Airtran and legacy carriers.

Most people will have fine experiences. However, when things go wrong, Airtran will have fewer options to help you than other airlines.

What the travel agent here posted is the most likely scenerio where this would affect you. If your plane is late, they will have fewer ways of assisting you than other airlines. They will not make it easy to get a refund in this situation either.

For example, I was flying Airtran from Boston to Atlanta last winter on Friday of a long weekend. Our flight was delayed 3 hours due to weather. They announced that anyone connecting in Atlanta would miss their flight. They would not provide any hotel or meal vouchers. And they could not schedule anyone on another flight until 2 days later. (Many people were connecting to FLorida or Texas to go on cruises) They also announced that no refunds would be issued, only credits. I have no way of knowing if people got a refund if they tried hard enough.

I won't fly them (that one flight was an aberation as someone else was buying the tickets), but it's just that I've been unlucky and had several bad experience. I don't think they are less safe than other airlines. And you may want to take the small risk for a cheaper price.

(And also, btw, Business isn't much to speak of. It's a slightly larger seat. That's about it. But that's hardly unique amongst airlines nowadays. It's just not really worth it, to me, for even just $50 more)

Kind of OT, but this is how inter-line agreements operate.

If the delay or cancelation is the fault of the airline (mechanical, crew shortage, or some other thing w/in the airline's control) and they cannot get you on another flight with them that day (or in a reasonable amount of time), then they will sign your ticket over to another airline, if another airline has space available (be sure to ask that they switch you, they usually won't voluteer to do so!). BUT, if the reason for the delay/cancelation is NOT the fault of the airline, including weather and air traffic control delays, then they do not have to sign the ticket over (but I have heard of rare instances of a very nice gate agent doing so, it never hurts to ask, just be prepared to be told no).

So in RachaelEllen's case, even if she had been on an airline with an inter-line agreement, most likely she still wouldn't have been able to be switched to another airline because her delay was due to weather.

HOWEVER, no matter what airline you are on, and no matter what the reason is for cancellation, if you decide NOT to travel on your ticket at all, then the airline must refund your money. Delay's are a bit more tricky, if it's a long enough delay you may get a refund, but I think the airlines can get away with just a voucher, I haven't had this issue come up lately (knock on wood) and I can't remember what the exact policy is, and I'm too lazy to look it up!

 

[Papa Deuce]

We are trying them for the 1st time this December. They were doing $79 each way from Midway to MCO, it came to $175.10 with all the fees and taxes. That was 60+ less than others I saw. We are flying on a Sunday so I knew it would be higher for us.

Glad I haven't booked yet. They want 222 inc. taxes from PHL..... I have never paid more than that and have pais about the same as you, on USAir.

 

[bettyann29]

I've flown them and had a wonderful experience..