Air Tran operated flights with SWA

[katallo]

We have seen many flight times that now say Air Tran operated on the SWA site. If we booked directly with SW, we are assuming there are no baggage fees we can use RR points and have their routine method of seating. Are there any other differences we need to know about if we book an Air Tran operated flight? Thanks!

 

[lovin'fl]

We have seen many flight times that now say Air Tran operated on the SWA site. If we booked directly with SW, we are assuming there are no baggage fees we can use RR points and have their routine method of seating. Are there any other differences we need to know about if we book an Air Tran operated flight? Thanks!

If you book Airtran through SWA you get free baggage fees and RR points and all that, but you cannot select seats like folks who book the flight with Airtran can (you will be assigned left over seats 24 hours out). You cannot purchase the SWA early bird check in.

 

[katallo]

Thanks! I guess this transition will take longer than we thought. I don't like the idea of left over seats. Will you have to be the last to board? If so, I suppose there is no possibility of sitting together. That's something to consider.

 

[DebbieB]

Thanks! I guess this transition will take longer than we thought. I don't like the idea of left over seats. Will you have to be the last to board? If so, I suppose there is no possibility of sitting together. That's something to consider.

You will be assigned seats before boarding, it doesn't matter when you board. It's not open seating like SW. But your seats will be assigned after the people who paid for advance seats through the AirTran site.

 

[hollypoast]

Thanks! I guess this transition will take longer than we thought. I don't like the idea of left over seats. Will you have to be the last to board? If so, I suppose there is no possibility of sitting together. That's something to consider.

We are in this situation. We are using SW to come back from Orlando in December. I had enough points for 5 tickets so I just couldn't justify paying of pocket. The flight we need (to catch the bus) is operated by AirTran. I was worried about the inability to select a seat because I have a 6 year old. She would probably do just fine sitting next to strangers but she is a talker. So for the sake of the other passengers I called and asked. The agent put me on hold and asked her manager and said that they will not split up minors from their parents. So I'm thinking it will work out and we will just end up in the back of the plane.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

We have seen many flight times that now say Air Tran operated on the SWA site. If we booked directly with SW, we are assuming there are no baggage fees we can use RR points and have their routine method of seating. Are there any other differences we need to know about if we book an Air Tran operated flight? Thanks!

Go to WN's website and read the rules. It's all explained there.

 

[pooh4evr]

We booked our tickets through sw for an airtran flight using rr pionts too. We had been banking pionts just for this trip so I wasn't going to pay either. I am a bit worried about the seating, as I understand it we will be assigned seats when we check in at the 24 hour mark, and once we are at the gate we might be able to change things around. So the seating is not like sw at all, but no bag fees.

 

[frisbeego]

Hollypoast, thanks for the tidbit about not splitting minors from their parents.

I'm in a similar situation. Just DS4 and I on the plane. SW customer relations linked our two itineraries (because they had been booked separately), so I hope the assigned seats are together. If not, whoever sits next to DS will likely beg to be reseated because he's a chatterbox.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

We are in this situation. We are using SW to come back from Orlando in December. I had enough points for 5 tickets so I just couldn't justify paying of pocket. The flight we need (to catch the bus) is operated by AirTran. I was worried about the inability to select a seat because I have a 6 year old. She would probably do just fine sitting next to strangers but she is a talker. So for the sake of the other passengers I called and asked. The agent put me on hold and asked her manager and said that they will not split up minors from their parents. So I'm thinking it will work out and we will just end up in the back of the plane.

Don't count on this; this information is wrong! The people you spoke with on the phone won't be working at the gate of your flight. There is nothing in AirTran's Contract of Carriage guaranteeing a minor will be seated with his or her parents (see page 14).

http://www.airtran.com/common/pdf/AirTran_Contract_of_Carriage.pdf

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1756765

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/airt...174607-seating-assignment-young-children.html

http://www.my3cents.com/showReview.cgi?id=77185

If you are worried about sitting with your child, fly on an airline with assigned seating.

 

[katallo]

Hollypoast, thanks for the tidbit about not splitting minors from their parents.

I'm in a similar situation. Just DS4 and I on the plane. SW customer relations linked our two itineraries (because they had been booked separately), so I hope the assigned seats are together. If not, whoever sits next to DS will likely beg to be reseated because he's a chatterbox.

Thanks! Ironically, our neighbor just returned last night with this situation. The person at the gate juggled a few things and she sat with her 9 year old son. I'll be hopeful!

 

[keishashadow]

Thanks! Ironically, our neighbor just returned last night with this situation. The person at the gate juggled a few things and she sat with her 9 year old son. I'll be hopeful!

often FA's request people to move to accommodate this

 

[sullins5]

Don't count on this; this information is wrong! The people you spoke with on the phone won't be working at the gate of your flight. There is nothing in AirTran's Contract of Carriage guaranteeing a minor will be seated with his or her parents (see page 14).

http://www.airtran.com/common/pdf/AirTran_Contract_of_Carriage.pdf

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1756765

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/airt...174607-seating-assignment-young-children.html

http://www.my3cents.com/showReview.cgi?id=77185

If you are worried about sitting with your child, fly on an airline with assigned seating.

I'm afraid I have to second this, or personally? I'd just bite the bullet and pay $6.00 each for assigned seats!

My 6dd and I were flying to Orlando when this same situation hit us. When I called Airtran, she 'assured' me, we would sit together (at the time, the bookings showed no 2 seats together). But the agent said, "No problem". Well, it was a huge problem! We got to Atlanta, they started boarding, and we were still to be seated one in the front, and the other in the back. I had already explained to the gate agent, what I had been told, and he was very busy, said "You'll just have to wait, no promises", and kept doing his business. After about 30 minutes, several had walked up to ask about stand by, they were taking offers for people to give up their seats, and I knew we were in trouble as far as sitting near one another. They start loading the first group...I'm still waiting, they load the second through the fourth group and my dd and I are still waiting. Finally, a supervisor comes, talks to the gate agent, and they mumble a bit, walk into the tunnel leading to the flight and we are still waiting. Mind you, we have tickets, but no seats together yet. I'm on the phone with dh asking "What do I do?" and as they are closing the door, they call my name. We both get on, and luckily, they had had 2 first class seats open up. WHEW and WHEW! Now dd was ecstatic about first class! Me? I knew we had gotten on by the 'seat of our pants' and were thankful to get to sit near one another.
Lesson to be learned? Just ask this chik if we don't ALWAYS pay that $6 fee! It's well worth knowing where you are going to sit, by whom, and peace of mind with your kids!

 

[lizzi6692]

I'm afraid I have to second this, or personally? I'd just bite the bullet and pay $6.00 each for assigned seats!

Lesson to be learned? Just ask this chik if we don't ALWAYS pay that $6 fee! It's well worth knowing where you are going to sit, by whom, and peace of mind with your kids!

The problem is that if you book through southwest there is no option to pay $6 for assigned seats. And if the flights I'm looking at are any indication, there's an increase in price between booking with airtran rather than southwest(about $70 per person round trip on the flights we're looking at), plus paying to preassign your seats, and then add on bag fees on top of that. There's a big difference between $6 and $100 per person just to sit next to the people in your party. I can't wait until the merger is complete when Airtran's asinine policies can be laid to rest.

 

[nhfd155]

we were wondering the same thing for our october trip. we have a 5 & 8 year old with us. i wont let them sit without us. they can split us up two and two in seperate areas of the plane if they have to.

anyway, i hear a lot of people asking about this, but not a lot of comments from people who actually experienced it. someone on disboards must have taken one of these flights on airtran. i, like the previous poster used southwest airmiles to defer the cost and dont have the option of paying the seating fee on airtran. if i could i would. southwest had no reasonalbly priced flights for us.

 

[andrews_dad]

I'm afraid I have to second this, or personally? I'd just bite the bullet and pay $6.00 each for assigned seats!

QUOTE]

But if you book at AT.com to select those $6 seats, you must also pay the BAG fees and not have the easy cancel of SW. If you use RR points and cancel, you get your points all back to teh account and only have to worry with the $5 credit to spend within the year. That is much more than a $6 seat.

I posted this on another thread, but I booked an AT flight at SW.com with RR points. 6 free checked bags. Checked in 24 hours ahead at SW.com. Was assigned 2 seats together in one row, 2 seats together in another row. Got to check in and aske dto be put together (3 together and 1 across same aisle.) Got changed instantly. Kids are 2 and 5 years old. Easy, easy, easy.

 

[sullins5]

The problem is that if you book through southwest there is no option to pay $6 for assigned seats. And if the flights I'm looking at are any indication, there's an increase in price between booking with airtran rather than southwest(about $70 per person round trip on the flights we're looking at), plus paying to preassign your seats, and then add on bag fees on top of that. There's a big difference between $6 and $100 per person just to sit next to the people in your party. I can't wait until the merger is complete when Airtran's asinine policies can be laid to rest.

Wow! I had NO idea! I actually went to the Southwest site first and saw the prices and got so excited. Went to book, saw the 'bags free' banner, but then when I saw I couldn't pick seats, went to the Airtran site. The prices and flights were the same. Yes, I'll have to pay for the bags (but we won't have many) but I could pick the seats. So, for this chik it was worth it.
So sorry your prices were higher ...That really baffles me that in this transition, they do that! You'd think it'd be exactly the same to 'wow' the customers.

 

[sullins5]

I'm afraid I have to second this, or personally? I'd just bite the bullet and pay $6.00 each for assigned seats!

QUOTE]

But if you book at AT.com to select those $6 seats, you must also pay the BAG fees and not have the easy cancel of SW. If you use RR points and cancel, you get your points all back to teh account and only have to worry with the $5 credit to spend within the year. That is much more than a $6 seat.

I posted this on another thread, but I booked an AT flight at SW.com with RR points. 6 free checked bags. Checked in 24 hours ahead at SW.com. Was assigned 2 seats together in one row, 2 seats together in another row. Got to check in and aske dto be put together (3 together and 1 across same aisle.) Got changed instantly. Kids are 2 and 5 years old. Easy, easy, easy.

So glad that worked for you! I just don't EVEN want to take that chance after sitting there for so long and wondering if we'll sit together. I understand though, you really do have to do what's BEST for your family! I'm just NOT taking the chance of not sitting with my kids (and that's just for my own peace and mind..and yep, it's gonna cost me)...

 

[lizzi6692]

Wow! I had NO idea! I actually went to the Southwest site first and saw the prices and got so excited. Went to book, saw the 'bags free' banner, but then when I saw I couldn't pick seats, went to the Airtran site. The prices and flights were the same. Yes, I'll have to pay for the bags (but we won't have many) but I could pick the seats. So, for this chik it was worth it.
So sorry your prices were higher ...That really baffles me that in this transition, they do that! You'd think it'd be exactly the same to 'wow' the customers.

If it were just the bag fees and the fee to preassigned seats I would probably do it, but I just can't justify $300 extra just to sit next to each other. We're bringing at least a bag a piece(we're going for 8 days so we're going to have quite a bit of clothes and plus we want extra space for souvenirs), so between that and the price increase it just doesn't make sense. We'll book through SW and hope we can get at least 2 seats together and if worst comes to worst we'll ask at the gate if anything can be done. If need be DH could sit by himself but I don't handle enclosed crowded spaces well by myself and my sister hasn't been on a plane by herself ever and being separated from her would make my anxiety worse.

 

[sullins5]

If it were just the bag fees and the fee to preassigned seats I would probably do it, but I just can't justify $300 extra just to sit next to each other. We're bringing at least a bag a piece(we're going for 8 days so we're going to have quite a bit of clothes and plus we want extra space for souvenirs), so between that and the price increase it just doesn't make sense. We'll book through SW and hope we can get at least 2 seats together and if worst comes to worst we'll ask at the gate if anything can be done. If need be DH could sit by himself but I don't handle enclosed crowded spaces well by myself and my sister hasn't been on a plane by herself ever and being separated from her would make my anxiety worse.

Good luck no matter what you do! I couldn't justify 300 extra either! But I also couldn't stand NOT sitting near my youngest. Such is life I guess, lol! And we'll just keep our fingers crossed the FA's will make it a priority to help! Have fun on your trip!

 

[lizzi6692]

Good luck no matter what you do! I couldn't justify 300 extra either! But I also couldn't stand NOT sitting near my youngest. Such is life I guess, lol! And we'll just keep our fingers crossed the FA's will make it a priority to help! Have fun on your trip!

Thanks! I think we've got a plan now. We're all going to fly down on a Southwest flight(it only gets us there an hour and a half later and is still nonstop). We'll buy early bird check in for this flight and should have no problem getting 3 seats together because the chances of a flight that early in the morning(it's set to take off at 7:35am) being very full are slim to none. Then on the way back we'll buy DH's ticket for the Airtran flight through Southwest. It's only critical for me and my sister to have seats together especially since if we get preassigned seats we can get them on the two seat side of the plane. DH will just sleep on the way back anyway. Then he will claim two bags as his that way we only have to pay the increase in price on two one way tickets, the fee for preassigned seats and one bag fee. This brings our price increase down to $126 rather than $300 which is worth it to ensure me and my sister get to sit together and means if prices don't go up too much between now and when we book the 3 of us will all still be able to fly for less than $1000.