Air Tran - Safe To Book?

[johnnyr]

With the merger of Southwest and Air Tran, do you think Air Tran would be safe to book for a December 2012 trip? Will they still be around?

 

[DebbieB]

With the merger of Southwest and Air Tran, do you think Air Tran would be safe to book for a December 2012 trip? Will they still be around?

I don't think you have to worry about it being "safe". There is a possibility your flight could change to Southwest but you don't have to worry about losing your money. They are currently booking through September 28. When your dates come out, if they are available through AirTran, odds are it will remain AirTran. Most likely flights will start to transition to Southwest as the schedules come out, not for already scheduled flights.

 

[johnnyr]

I don't think you have to worry about it being "safe". There is a possibility your flight could change to Southwest but you don't have to worry about losing your money. They are currently booking through September 28. When your dates come out, if they are available through AirTran, odds are it will remain AirTran. Most likely flights will start to transition to Southwest as the schedules come out, not for already scheduled flights.

What I am concerned about is if I book a flight on Air Tran when the December fares come out and if Southwest starts restructuring them, my flights would be cancelled. This is my biggest fear.

 

[DebbieB]

What I am concerned about is if I book a flight on Air Tran when the December fares come out and if Southwest starts restructuring them, my flights would be cancelled. This is my biggest fear.

That's a possibility with any airline. AirTran has a history of cancelling flights and changing schedules, long before SW acquired them.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

With the merger of Southwest and Air Tran, do you think Air Tran would be safe to book for a December 2012 trip? Will they still be around?

AirTran will be around as part of Southwest. At some point, the planes will be painted in Southwest colors and the flight attendants will wear Southwest uniforms.

15 AirTran airports are being dropped as AirTran is absorbed into Southwest:

The first batch was Bloomington/Normal, Ill.; Charleston, W. Va.; Knoxville, Tenn; Miami, Fla.; and Washington Dulles, Va.

The second batch was Asheville, N.C.; Atlantic City, N.J.; Dallas/Fort Worth, Tex.; Moline/Quad Cities, Ill.; and Newport News, Va.

The last batch was Allentown, Pa.; Lexington, Ky.; Harrisburg, Pa.; Huntsville, Ala.; Sarasota, Fla.; and White Plains, N.Y.

The way that it's being done is that they stop selling tickets for flights to and from those airports on a certain date. For example, for the last batch, the date is Aug. 12, 2012.

 

[Nancy F]

I'm waiting on the Dec. Airtran flights too. I'll be really mad if I book with Airtran and it goes over to Southwest. I refuse to fly with them. I have over $600.00 in credits with Airtran that I may lose because I'm not willing to fly Southwest. Unless they are the only ones flying that is.
Nancy

 

[keishashadow]

What I am concerned about is if I book a flight on Air Tran when the December fares come out and if Southwest starts restructuring them, my flights would be cancelled. This is my biggest fear.

Unfortunately, AirTran has upped their game as to changing flights since SWA came into the picture. I use the term unfortunate since I would often book a cheap connecting flight back home and once it changed by even a few minutes, would call & get placed on the pricier NS flight.

Anyway, as stated, if it's listed on the next schedule, i'd have no qualms re booking. It'd be a PR nightmare for SWA to start yanking previously booked flights.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I'm waiting on the Dec. Airtran flights too. I'll be really mad if I book with Airtran and it goes over to Southwest. I refuse to fly with them. I have over $600.00 in credits with Airtran that I may lose because I'm not willing to fly Southwest. Unless they are the only ones flying that is.
Nancy

AirTran has been owned by Southwest since May 2, 2011.

At present, Southwest is operating AirTran as a separate airline from a passenger perspective. However, behind the scenes, they're working to integrate AirTran into Southwest. At some point (not yet announced) the combined airlines will be marketed and operated as a single airline under the Southwest name, with Southwest's processes and rules.

For example, AirTran charges for checked bags. But when it's integrated into Southwest, the first two checked bags per passenger will be free.

See the FAQ at http://www.airtran.com/faq/swa_faq.aspx

 

[JennMouse32]

With the merger of Southwest and Air Tran, do you think Air Tran would be safe to book for a December 2012 trip? Will they still be around?

im sure even if they did away with it they would still honor trips already booked.. besides they merged like a year or two ago... its kinda old news

 

[keishashadow]

im sure even if they did away with it they would still honor trips already booked.. besides they merged like a year or two ago... its kinda old news

The initial annoucement was released early May of '11.

Problem is they've been rather vague about airports that would be eliminated and those who have credit cards (with many rewards thru AirTran which we continue to accrue thru purchases and travel) have yet to be told what will happen to our status. We're waiting, overwaiting imo.

 

[Scubee]

15 AirTran airports are being dropped as AirTran is absorbed into Southwest:

The way that it's being done is that they stop selling tickets for flights to and from those airports on a certain date. For example, for the last batch, the date is Aug. 12, 2012.

This is our situation. AT is not offering tickets for flights beyond the planned shutdown at our airport. I'm with most others in that you can purchase the tickets without fear of losing your money, but flight times can certainly change.