Air Tran - picking seats

[SmallWorld71]

I just purchased one way tickets (with one connection) on Air Tran for myself, DS14 and DD9(almost 10) from Boston to Ft. Myers in April. I purchased the tickets from priceline.
When I bought the tickets, it did not give me the option of picking seats. I know Air Tran is an airline that charges for seats, but I was unable to do anything about seats.
So, my question is this: do I call the airline to confirm and/or pay for seats? We're not overly concerned about sitting together as my kids have flown plenty of times and have sat alone before. If we choose to just sit where ever they put us, do I still call the airline ahead of time?

Any Air Tran advice would be appreciated. It's been so long since I've flown anything other than Jet Blue (my favorite!) or Delta. But, it's school vacation week so we take what we can afford.

 

[Disneylover99]

We fly AirTran but have only booked directly with them.

We always prebook our seats ($6 per seat) because we have younger children.

I would think that it should be fine if you don't mind not sitting together.

I would maybe get to the airport a bit early to try to get seats together.

 

[Ima Disnewby]

Woah! Okay, now I'm worried!!

I booked with Air Tran for May and didn't pick our seats... This will be both of my ds' first time ever on a plane and they're only 5 & 8, do they run the risk of not being seated with either dh or myself? We don't all need to sit together but dh and I were banking of each taking one of our boys

 

[sam_gordon]

Woah! Okay, now I'm worried!!

I booked with Air Tran for May and didn't pick our seats... This will be both of my ds' first time ever on a plane and they're only 5 & 8, do they run the risk of not being seated with either dh or myself? We don't all need to sit together but dh and I were banking of each taking one of our boys

Yes, you run the risk of not sitting together. How much of a risk?... depends.

You should be able to pick seats now & pay for them, can't you?

 

[dmiller64152]

I thought you could select seats when you do online check-in 24 hours before the flight? I probably need to call them too ... We have a tight connection in Atlanta and need to be close to the front of the plane.

 

[pigletto]

My understanding is that you can select seats with Airtran at 24 hours out if you don't want to pay for seat selection. That being said, it's important to me where I sit so I did pay ahead of time.

OP.. I am not sure how it works with Priceline so I would call their customer service and Airtrans to see if you can add it on now.

 

[crashbb]

I thought you could select seats when you do online check-in 24 hours before the flight? I probably need to call them too ... We have a tight connection in Atlanta and need to be close to the front of the plane.

You CAN select seats when you check in at 24 hours, however, at that point you can only select from the seats that are left. If many people paid to pre-select their seats and/or many people checked in before you, there may not be enough seats left at the front of the plane for your family. Many people don't care enough are willing to take the risk; others do not want to risk it.

 

[Ima Disnewby]

Yes, you run the risk of not sitting together. How much of a risk?... depends.

You should be able to pick seats now & pay for them, can't you?

ack!!! oh man, i had no idea!! i had also bought mine from priceline and it gave me an option of adding a seat preference but not an actual seat choice if memory serves me correctly...i'm very willing to pay for the seats! do you know if i can do this before the 24hr check in? i know from looking online if i do it over the phone the price jumps from $6/person to $15!!

 

[dsneprincess]

I would call customer service at AirTran & ask them how to go about getting seats. I have had very good experiences with their customer service agents & think they are very fair & accomadate you as best they can. I would call & ask for advice because I am not sure how to pick seats through Priceline but I was able to book our seats easily through Airtran's site. Good luck!

 

[SmallWorld71]

Thanks to everyone who has responded.

I will call Air Tran later this week and see what they say. Like I said, I don't care too much about where we sit. But, I do care that we have seats.

Not picking them ahead of time won't hurt my chances of actually getting a seat on the plane, will it? It's school vacation week and I expect the plane will be overbooked.

 

[Jaylie]

I always fly SW when going to WDW, but since SW now owns AT, how does the seating work? I'll be going to Branson in the Fall, and booking through SW, but I think it'll actually be AT that I'll be flying. I'm not sure on the SW site I'll be able to pay for a seat since they have "open seating."

 

[pigletto]

I always fly SW when going to WDW, but since SW now owns AT, how does the seating work? I'll be going to Branson in the Fall, and booking through SW, but I think it'll actually be AT that I'll be flying. I'm not sure on the SW site I'll be able to pay for a seat since they have "open seating."

Interesting question. I hadn't thought of it really. I am assuming when you go through the Southwest booking site that it will work as it always does unless they tell you otherwise or direct you over to the Airtan site.

 

[DebbieB]

I always fly SW when going to WDW, but since SW now owns AT, how does the seating work? I'll be going to Branson in the Fall, and booking through SW, but I think it'll actually be AT that I'll be flying. I'm not sure on the SW site I'll be able to pay for a seat since they have "open seating."

They are still flying separate, the old rules apply for each.

 

[maxiesmom]

Thanks to everyone who has responded.

I will call Air Tran later this week and see what they say. Like I said, I don't care too much about where we sit. But, I do care that we have seats.

Not picking them ahead of time won't hurt my chances of actually getting a seat on the plane, will it? It's school vacation week and I expect the plane will be overbooked.

Those who don't pay for seat assignments are usually the first bumped, if it comes to that. Even so, I've flown Air Tran over Spring Break before, and they make the perks for volunteering to be bumped so nice someone always takes them. But yeah, by not having paid for seats you will be first up if the are overbooked and no one volunteers.

 

[Ima Disnewby]

thanks everyone SO much for helping me out

i logged onto Air Tran right away last night, looked at my flight itinerary and through there it gave me the option to pick & pay for my seats even though i had originally bought them through priceline and had not had that option. i am SO glad i went that route and didn't wait until 24hrs ahead to check in & pick them because the pickings were already pretty slim and my flights aren't until May!! thankfully, i was able to get seats for us to sit together!

when i went to check out, there was a system error that they were having issues processing payments so i had to call in to finish my reservation & payment. i was worried it would result in the $15/pp instead of the $6/pp for doing it online but the agent on the phone was super helpful & kind and i was ony charged for the $6/pp

thanks again everyone!

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

No, those who don't have a seat won't always be the "first bumped" There are actually other considerations.

As a business traveler I have a plane ticket coming up with no seat. Ticket cost $1,000 plus. Trust me I will be on the plane over someone with a $100 ticket and a seat

That said, I can't recall the last time I actually saw an involuntary bump. The airlines buy you off first.