Air Tran operated flights with SWA

[hsmamato2]

thanks for the info! I am considering trying the airtran route to save some $$$- I assume the RR points work the same?

 

[hsmamato2]

QUOTE]
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. Easy, easy, easy.[/QUOTE]
You booked an AT flight on SWA site using RR points? You didn't have to convert them first? I am looking desperately for an answer for this....
.... I am thinking b/c using RR points, you can easily switch a flight if needed, could I switch flights to if I had the AT route booked thru SWA?

 

[shannon006]

I am so confused. Can I book a SW flight using AT credits? I have never flown SW before, and the whole seating thing concerns me.

 

[tyzzle]

thanks for the info! I am considering trying the airtran route to save some $$$- I assume the RR points work the same?

Nope airtran it is 8 credits for a one way seat, they only allow one courtesy schedule change per reservation, there are limited seats and once they are gone they are gone. You can convert rr points...1200 pts for on airtran credit ( and vice versa). If the flight is available on southwests site you can book airtran through southwest using rr points.

 

[tyzzle]

QUOTE]
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. Easy, easy, easy.

You booked an AT flight on SWA site using RR points? You didn't have to convert them first? I am looking desperately for an answer for this....
.... I am thinking b/c using RR points, you can easily switch a flight if needed, could I switch flights to if I had the AT route booked thru SWA?[/QUOTE]

Yes as long as it is booked on sw site

 

[hsmamato2]

Yes as long as it is booked on sw site

wait...please clarify,as I'm having a hard time understanding... I thought RR points are changed/restricted on AT flights....

 

[pooh4evr]

I booked our tickets on the SW site for an AirTran operated flight and used RR points. Is that what you mean? No bag fees, no change fees, and it's non stop.

 

[hsmamato2]

Yes..that's what I'm asking...I want to book the flights using RR points- but I am wondering if I do, do they become airtran points? thus becoming more restrictive for flight changes,etc?

 

[DebbieB]

Yes..that's what I'm asking...I want to book the flights using RR points- but I am wondering if I do, do they become airtran points? thus becoming more restrictive for flight changes,etc?

If you book AirTran on the SW site, SW rules apply for changes. Your confirmation will show for example "Southwest 123 operated by AirTran 456", so your reservation is actually considered SW. But no advance seat assignments.

 

[hsmamato2]

alright! thank you for the info I don't care about seats,as it's for my DH and adult son, and I'd like to save a little...I tend to switch flights a lot as they drop in price,and I wanted that flexibilty....

 

[Christine9125]

When I booked our flights for September, I checked both sites. There was not much of a difference in cost. For example, SW was $200, AT (with seat and luggage added in) was $210. For an extra $10 I went with AT, I did pay for the $16 seats, but I know I have seats together. Since I paid for my seats, I sure hope nobody asks me to move without paying me for my seats. I feel if you don't pay for seats, you take what it given to you. If sitting next to each other is priority, pay to make sure this is done like the rest of us have.

 

[LBIJim]

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.

The discrepancy between fares for the exact same AirTran flights booked via SW or AT is amazing. Sometimes they're the same; often SW's website is priced higher. Just the other day my wife was looking at a fare for an AT flight. AT's website stayed at $189 the entire day. In the early afternoon, SW's site had it for $189, by around 4pm it went up to $235, by 6pm it was $299!! Her flight last month was very similar. I've been playing around booking fake itineraries recently, and more often than not the AT flight is more expensive on SW's website. Ocasionally they're the same price; I've NEVER seen SW's site with a lower fare than AT's fare.

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. .

You should have no problems getting 3 seats together because you bought Early Bird. As for such an early a.m. flight, the chances of it NOT being very full are slim to none. Especially if it's to MCO.

It's interesting how so many people are so upset that the transition prevents them from using the other airline's seat selection programming, but NOT ONE SINGLE POSTER HAS INDICATED THE SLIGHTEST COMPLAINT that booking an AirTran flight through Southwest allows these same passengers two free checked bags each.

That's really the crux of all these whining complaints, isn't it? Wanting to have their cake and eat it too.


Yes, they do make the conditions clear before you pay for your tickets. No airline or other business entity can reasonably be held responsible for its customers choice not to read the information provided, or reading comprehension.



Sigh. Nothing is being dragged out. Southwest is taking the amount of time needed to transition the merger properly. Fees?
Passengers booking SW flights through AT can't opt/pay for EBCI (potential fee loss $12.50 per passenger).
Passengers booking AT flights through SW can't pay for advance seat selecting (potential fee loss $6-$20 per passenger).
Passengers booking AT flights through SW can't pay for their first two pieces of checked luggage (potential fee loss $20-$40 per passenger).

Triple

Jim

 

[tyzzle]

I would gladly pay both baggage and seating fees if I could do so while using my rapid rewards (had an airtran credit for our other seats, that's why I am doing airtran, not southwest). Guess I will just save them for another trip and buy my ticket this time

 

[LidoDeck]

Can anyone share their actual seating experience with AirTran flights booked on Southwest.com? My husband and I booked directly through AirTran and paid $20pp extra for leg room seats. We're coming off a 5-night cruise, but figured we could manage with just carry-ons.

Then my son and his family (2A & 3C) booked the cruise! So I booked them on the same AirTran flight (but via Southwest) thinking they could actually check our bags, too. I'm a bit concerned about seat assignments, hoping (since the airline has their dates-of-birth) that they will at least keep one parent with the three year old!

If it proves to be a problem, husband and I will exchange our infinite leg room premium seats to sit with our granddaughter!

Can anyone off any reassurance that AirTran will assign a family member with the 3-year-old?

What a PITA!

 

[tyzzle]

There is another thread about people's experiences. No, the birthdate will no affect assignment. It seems to be random, the system will assign the person checking in the first available seat when checking in. If they aren't together they must ask to be rearranged at the gate. Most people report success of having at least one adult being seated with a child. Others are lucky and get seated together right away but it is only luck of the draw. It all depends on the seats previously reserved and when they check in.

 

[lizzi6692]

You should have no problems getting 3 seats together because you bought Early Bird. As for such an early a.m. flight, the chances of it NOT being very full are slim to none. Especially if it's to MCO.


Jim

I have never flown on a full flight that early in the morning even to MCO.

 

[hsmamato2]

we usually take a 6 a.m. type flight down...and it's always full. So be aware a lot of people travel early,and be prepared.

 

[JFrey4240]

So where do you check your baggage if you book an AirTran flight through Southwest? At Southwest or AirTran?

 

[DebbieB]

So where do you check your baggage if you book an AirTran flight through Southwest? At Southwest or AirTran?

AirTran, it gets loaded onto their plane. At PIT, they combined the counters already.

 

[aubriee]

we usually take a 6 a.m. type flight down...and it's always full. So be aware a lot of people travel early,and be prepared.

Same here. We always take the earliest flight out and they are always pretty much full. In fact, we just flew to WDW May 10th. Our flight left at 0620 and they made the announcement before boarding that the flight was completely full, passengers would be allowed one overhead item and one item that fit under their seat, but if anyone wanted to check their carry on they could so for free, because the way it looked there would not be enough room in the overheads for everyone's carry on. This was on American though, not Southwest or Air Tran.