Air Tran Boarding Procedures

[Simba&Nala]

First let me start by saying that the zone boarding map on Seat Guru is not correct in regards to Air Tran. I purposely paid for a seat in what I thought was Zone 3. NOT. I just checked in online and I was going to be in Zone 6. I could be in Zone 2 if I opted to pay an additional $10 per passenger (which is what I choose to do). I called Air Tran to ask why row #15 is in Zone 6 and her response was this:

"Air Tran boards business class and persons with disabilities first. (which I knew) We really don't have a Zone 2 unless you pay for the priority boarding. The next Zone is #4 and is for the window seats in the back of the plane. Zone #5 is window seats in the middle of the plane and Zone #6 is window seats for the front. Zone #7 & 8 are for the middle and aisle seats also in a rotating order".

I guess it just goes to show that you should always check with the airlines themselves regarding zone boarding. Guess it won't really matter when Southwest takes over. Just a little irritating that I thought the seat that I paid $13 for would get me Zone 3 when it actually would have gotten me Zone 6 (had I not paid the additional priority boarding fee). I could have paid $6 for a seat in rear of the plane and gotten Zone 4.

 

[aubriee]

Strange! I always pay for the $15.00 seats (rows 12-14) which are listed as Zone 1 Priority Boarding. I'm always in Boarding Zone 1. I currently have a flight booked for April 30th and May 8th, so just went to Air Tran's website to check on my seats. When I go in like I want to change my seat assignment and click on my current aisle seat in Row 14 it states 'Priority Boarding Zone 1--first to board'. I was in that same exact seat last August, again in Sept, again in Oct,and again in Dec. Every single time I've had a boarding zone 1 boarding pass.

 

[briar_rose_59]

That's strange. I have row #12 booked for my upcoming trip and those seats were $15 and all tagged with a "Zone 1: Board First" logo. The seats in row #15 on my flights all have that same tag. Now I'm slightly worried about my seat assignments since I'll be in FL with no internet access prior to my flight.

 

[aubriee]

That's strange. I have row #12 booked for my upcoming trip and those seats were $15 and all tagged with a "Zone 1: Board First" logo. The seats in row #15 on my flights all have that same tag. Now I'm slightly worried about my seat assignments since I'll be in FL with no internet access prior to my flight.

You're right. I just went back and checked again like I was going to change my seats. Rows 12-14 are $15.00 and Rows 15-16 are $13.00, but when you roll your mouse over them, all four rows say "Priority boarding Zone 1--first to board', as do the exit row seats further back. (There is no row 13).

 

[Simba&Nala]

When I first picked my seats 6 months ago, it didn't say what the boarding zone was just that the seats were $13. When I checked Seat Guru it says that row 15 is Zone 3. When I checked in online I paid the extra $10 pp to get priority boarding. My boarding pass says Zone 2.

I just checked my seat assignments on my itinery like I was going to change seats and it does say $13 Zone 1 - priority boarding. I am going to call again to find out what the deal is.

 

[TDC Nala]

I think at this point you can get Zone 2 only if you pay the extra $10 for priority boarding. Not sure what Zone 3 is. I always select the back of the plane 24 hours out and get Zone 4. This means I have a chance of getting my carryon aboard. I refuse to pay them for a seat assignment or earlier boarding.

 

[Simba&Nala]

I called again to ask why the seat map on Air Tran's website says that rows 12-16 are Zone 1 - priority boarding but my row 15 seat was assigned Zone 6. I was told that Zone 1 is only for business class and those with disabilities or in need of assistance getting on the plane. Of course she said in order to get Zone 2 one would need to pay the additional $10 fee.

I be interested to know what happens to anyone else that has seats in rows 12 - 16 and is flying after today. Maybe only the $15 seats get Zone 1 but is makes absolutely no sense that rows 15 & 16 are $13 seats and one gets Zone 6 but the $6 seats in the rear of the plane get Zone 4.

 

[briar_rose_59]

I be interested to know what happens to anyone else that has seats in rows 12 - 16 and is flying after today. Maybe only the $15 seats get Zone 1 but is makes absolutely no sense that rows 15 & 16 are $13 seats and one gets Zone 6 but the $6 seats in the rear of the plane get Zone 4.

That really doesn't make any sense... Think I might take a screen capture of the page showing the Zone 1 stuff in case there's an issue with my flight. My flight isn't for another 2 weeks but I'll try to come back & post what happens

 

[aubriee]

That really doesn't make any sense... Think I might take a screen capture of the page showing the Zone 1 stuff in case there's an issue with my flight. My flight isn't for another 2 weeks but I'll try to come back & post what happens

Please do! We fly out April 30th. Again I pretty much always book the same seat on every flight I go on and have always received a zone 1 boarding pass.

 

[quirty30]

We flew Airtran last week and they completely ignored the zones on the boarding passes. In Milwaukee, they boarded the old-fashioned way. By row. Business class first, then families with small children, then the back of the plane working forward.

In Orlando, they did something really off the wall. Those of us near the back of the plane had to walk outside and downstairs, and then up more stairs to the back door of the plane. If you were in the back rows and wanted to board thru the front of the plane, you had to wait until everyone else was done boarding. And again, it was all announced by row. After 5 days of walking all over WDW, I was just thrilled to have to walk up and downstairs to get on the plane - NOT.

 

[lllGurulll]

We flew Airtran last week and they completely ignored the zones on the boarding passes. In Milwaukee, they boarded the old-fashioned way. By row. Business class first, then families with small children, then the back of the plane working forward.

In Orlando, they did something really off the wall. Those of us near the back of the plane had to walk outside and downstairs, and then up more stairs to the back door of the plane. If you were in the back rows and wanted to board thru the front of the plane, you had to wait until everyone else was done boarding. And again, it was all announced by row. After 5 days of walking all over WDW, I was just thrilled to have to walk up and downstairs to get on the plane - NOT.

They did that at MCO? That doesn't make any sense at all.

 

[TDC Nala]

I've been on Airtran flights at MCO where they unloaded the plane from both doors.

 

[quirty30]

They did that at MCO? That doesn't make any sense at all.

Yep, at MCO. I haven't used outside stairs to board a plane since the last time I flew on a commuter jet - about 15 years ago. The doors we had to use to go outside were actually the emergency doors. I was dumbfounded.

 

[briar_rose_59]

Back with the update I promised! Got my boarding passes from the RAC desk at POP Century and my MCO-ATL boarding pass had zone 1 on it (seat 12A). My ATL-DTW boarding pass had boarding zone 7 on it though. Had to go to the customer service desk anyways because my MCO-ATL flight had been delayed so I was looking at possibly missing my connection (9 minutes from boarding door on first flight in terminal c to time the boarding door was supposed to close on 2nd flight in terminal d, but that's another story lol, suffice to say, I made it, but just barely lol). I told the girl it probably didn't matter since I wouldn't make it in time for boarding zone 1 anyways, but was just asking out of curiosity. She said it was just a glitch in the system and took my boarding pass and changed the 7 to a 1. I would say if you pay for zone 1 and get assigned a different zone, go to the customer service desk. I would try to have some sort of screen capture or something with you though, just because I don't know if my experience was so easy because we all knew I wouldn't be making it there in time for zone 1 anyways. Hope this helps someone!

 

[alwaysmom]

Very interesting! I did pay the $15 row 12, 1st to board, for our trip in July to Texas as myself & 2 DS's will be using just carryons. I will not be a happy camper should I be told I need to check the bags after paying the $15 when I could have done fine with the $6.

 

[aubriee]

Very interesting! I did pay the $15 row 12, 1st to board, for our trip in July to Texas as myself & 2 DS's will be using just carryons. I will not be a happy camper should I be told I need to check the bags after paying the $15 when I could have done fine with the $6.

Same here! We'll be flying to MCO April 30th and then back to Dallas May 8th. I either want Boarding zone 1 which is what the seat chart said I was getting or else I want my seat fee refunded. The two of us spent an extra $60.00 r/t for that Boarding zone 1. When choosing your seats, if you roll over those seats they clearly state they are in 'Boarding Zone 1, First to Board'. If they are not, then Air Tran needs to take that pop up off their seating chart. I'll report back after our trip.

Out of curiosity I just went and checked and those $15.00 and $13.00 seats are still showing up as Boarding Zone 1.

 

[alwaysmom]

Same here! We'll be flying to MCO April 30th and then back to Dallas May 8th. I either want Boarding zone 1 which is what the seat chart said I was getting or else I want my seat fee refunded. The two of us spent an extra $60.00 r/t for that Boarding zone 1. When choosing your seats, if you roll over those seats they clearly state they are in 'Boarding Zone 1, First to Board'. If they are not, then Air Tran needs to take that pop up off their seating chart. I'll report back after our trip.

Out of curiosity I just went and checked and those $15.00 and $13.00 seats are still showing up as Boarding Zone 1.

Please do tell when you return

 

[Catie.Hiltz]

First of all...I hate that they charge for seats in advance...and I hate that I always cave and pay the $6 each seat ha, I don't want to potentially get stuck next to someone other than my husband!

As for the zones...people don't pay attention to them anyway...their boarding pass could say in huge letters "zone 6" and they try to board with zone 1, and sometimes the flight attendents let them which is irritating...I refuse to pay more than $6 per seat, so we usually end up around row 17 or so, and in zone 4 or 5....not sure how the zones actually work, but I *love* that you can pay more when checking in to be in zone 2 (just kidding I don't really love it I think its a huge waste lol)

Still...can't beat air trans prices....