Air Tran Boarding Zones?

[plutospup]

We will be flying Air Tran to MCO for the first time (717-200, 3/2). Does anyone know the order of how zones (rows) are seated? I'm hoping to get a seat in at least zone 2 with the hopes there might be overhead space for our carryons. Thanks for your help.

 

[TaraPA]

The zones go from front to back, starting with zone 1, Priority Boarding, then zone 2, etc. If you're seated in the rear, you will board last, and I can almost bet you there will be no room for anything overhead. We were zone 3 once & there was no space overhead at all left - and we were on a 5-zone seating plane. Lots of gate-checking that day!

 

[plutospup]

Thanks Tara!
Our flights have us seated in rows 17 and 19 (before exit rows). Which zone do you think this might be? Just curious about boarding and the zones. If we have to gate check our carry ons it will be ok. If nothing else, this gives me something to "plan" or "compulse about" in planning our trip!

 

[Jillpie]

Thanks Tara!
Our flights have us seated in rows 17 and 19 (before exit rows). Which zone do you think this might be? Just curious about boarding and the zones. If we have to gate check our carry ons it will be ok. If nothing else, this gives me something to "plan" or "compulse about" in planning our trip!

It's so funny you ask this, we just flew a few weeks ago from BOS to MCO with row 17, and were forced to check our carry on duffle. I just finished posting if we could have put our extra ME tag on right then and there, I'm waiting to get an answer. That would have saved us SO much time because we couldn't locate our bag on the carousel afterward, it turns out it was on the one next to where we were waiting and they ended up pulling it, ugh. So if the answer is yes, about the ME tag, bring it with you to the airport!

 

[dis-happy]

I don't think there's any rhyme or reason. My family flew this weekend on AT. One ds was zone 3, the other ds seated next to him was zone 4. Thankfully they were both able to board with my dh, zone 1 priority.

 

[maurene]

I'm curious about this too (but I think DH bought us priority boarding). I've seen conflicting reports. (And, I see you asked this question on flyer talk too.)

SeatGuru says Airtran uses a "rotating zone" boarding style.
http://www.seatguru.com/articles/boarding_procedures.php#Rotating_Zone

 

[Native NYer]

I just read the info on Seat Guru. We purchased Priority Boarding. I thought this meant we'd board after business class. But according to Seat Guru, the last 5 rows board after business class. I wonder if this is an error. Or am I reading something incorrectly?

 

[maurene]

Jennifer - I'm not certain, but I believe zone 1 is business class and Elite. One source says "priority" is also zone 1 but then I thought I read "priority" boards after business. Either way, priority should boarding before they start boarding the back rows.

Further research has me nearly convinced that Airtran uses a boarding procedure that is a combination of the rotating zone method (described on seat guru) and boarding window and middle seats before isle seats. So, after zone 1 (and priority boarding), people in the back few rows with window seats would go next and then window seats in another section. People near the middle with isle seats might be the last to board. I think seats in rows 12-16 are usually tickets sold with "priority boarding." And then factor in that I think they try to board people under one booking together. (So a family of 3, with 3 seats in a row wouldn't be split up during the boarding process, but I'm not sure.) ---So its probably very difficult to see any pattern to the boarding process.

So confusing....

 

[Missytara]

I don't think there's any rhyme or reason. My family flew this weekend on AT. One ds was zone 3, the other ds seated next to him was zone 4. Thankfully they were both able to board with my dh, zone 1 priority.

Most likely, your first son was seated in a middle seat, and your second son was seated in an aisle seat.

This year, I traveled with two friends. They were window/center seat and I was in the aisle seat. Airtran boards the aisle seats in the next zone.

There is a rhyme and reason....

 

[Native NYer]

Jennifer - I'm not certain, but I believe zone 1 is business class and Elite. One source says "priority" is also zone 1 but then I thought I read "priority" boards after business. Either way, priority should boarding before they start boarding the back rows.

Further research has me nearly convinced that Airtran uses a boarding procedure that is a combination of the rotating zone method (described on seat guru) and boarding window and middle seats before isle seats. So, after zone 1 (and priority boarding), people in the back few rows with window seats would go next and then window seats in another section. People near the middle with isle seats might be the last to board. I think seats in rows 12-16 are usually tickets sold with "priority boarding." And then factor in that I think they try to board people under one booking together. (So a family of 3, with 3 seats in a row wouldn't be split up during the boarding process, but I'm not sure.) ---So its probably very difficult to see any pattern to the boarding process.

So confusing....

Thanks so much for the info!
It is so confusing! We're flying Airtran for the first time in August and hope it goes smoothly.

 

[2DisPrincesses]

We flew Airtran in November. We paid for our seats and had selected seats together in one row- all three of us had different boarding zones but we were able to board together under the earliest boarding zone (which was on my pass).

Do you happen to have a lap baby? If so, you will be able to board in zone one.

 

[wee-haggis]

When do you receive your Zone assignment?
When you purchase the tickets online?
or
When you print your boarding Passes?
thanks

 

[Missytara]

When do you receive your Zone assignment?
When you purchase the tickets online?
or
When you print your boarding Passes?
thanks

You purchase your tickets on line, when you feel comfortable with the fare - or when the fare appears to no longer go down. Fares fluctuate during the week, based on the days of the week that most people book. It appears as though the fares are high through the weekends, and then drop down during the week, especially very early in the morning.

You print out a confirmation, once you book your fare. When you get to the airport and check in, they will print your boarding pass.

You know what zone you are in, because it will be on your boarding pass.

 

[wee-haggis]

Does Air Tran have kiosks at MCO to print boarding passes ?
thanks