Airtran and not paying for seats

[Qtips4Mick]

I will be leaving on airtran to Orlando in 11 days. I haven't paid the extra $15 pp to pick seats. Will they keep my two grand kids next to me? They are 13 and 9 and that is essential. TIA!

 

[Lewisc]

I will be leaving on airtran to Orlando in 11 days. I haven't paid the extra $15 pp to pick seats. Will they keep my two grand kids next to me? They are 13 and 9 and that is essential. TIA!

Absolutely not. You've indicated to Airtran sitting next to your grand kids (and wife) is unimportant to you. You certainly can't expect passengers who paid for seat assignments to move for a passenger who was too cheap to pay.

edited to add--Do a search. Parents with much younger kids then your grand kids wind up getting split. Flights to Disney are filled with families with young kids. Maybe Airtran needs to revise their website. Provide a warning that says something like passengers who decide not pay for assigned seats accept the possibility of winding up with middle seats, separated from their traveling companions. We allow passengers to pay for assigned seats in order to accommodate groups that need to (or want to) sit together. Passengers who have no such requirement don't have to pay for assigned seats.

 

[Qtips4Mick]

Excuse me his rudeness! I was led to believe a long time ago, right here, that they would. There are a number of seats still available. My cancer and my husbands loss of his 30 year job make it a hard trip to afford and if that money can pay for meals I would rather do that. It has nothing to do with cheapness or not caring. If that were the case I wouldn't be taking my Grand kids to Universal. Think before you attack!

 

[cjnix29]

FWIW...next time you book with airtran, book it through kayak. You get to pick your seats without paying the fee.

 

[Lewisc]

I won't revise my post but perhaps I'm reacting to some of the previous posters. My post wasn't intended as an attack.

Asking a passenger who paid for an assigned seat to move so you can sit next to your 13 year old grand kid is kind of rude.

You said

They are 13 and 9 and that is essential. I

you sit together. Once you say it's essential then you have an obligation to pay for the seat assignment. There are likely to be families with much younger kids who didn't pay for seat assignments and are looking for special treatment. Very little chance another passenger will move so you can sit next to a 13 or 9 year old child.

edited to add the free seat assignment if you book through kayak is ancient history.

A lot of passengers either don't care about seat assignments or expect others will move to accomodate them. Parents with young kids (under 5) may win the bet. Your grand kids aren't that young. The number of open seats is meaningless.

Do a search on DIS. You're mistaken. People aren't telling you Airtran will accommodate (grand) parents with older kids who want to sit together.

 

[Inkmahm]

FWIW...next time you book with airtran, book it through kayak. You get to pick your seats without paying the fee.

That hasn't been true anymore for many months.

But the truth is, there is a good chance that the OP WILL be split from the kids and sat where ever there are open seats. These may be middle seats spread out over the entire plane.

If it is important to sit with the children, the ONLY way to assure that happens is to pay for seat assignments in advance. Otherwise, don't complain when other people who did pay don't want to lose their seat so that you can sit with a child. It really is that simple.

 

[Lewisc]

Don't take this the wrong way but your kids are old enough to be split. Actually old enough to suggest your family could/should be one of the groups volunteering to be split so a parent can sit next to a young (4-6 year old) child.

edited add--You don't have to pay for assigned seats. You have to make a choice, pay and sit together or don't pay and accept the possibility of being split.

 

[Qtips4Mick]

Don't take this the wrong way but your kids are old enough to be split. Actually old enough to suggest your family could/should be one of the groups volunteering to be split so a parent can sit next to a young (4-6 year old) child.

edited add--You don't have to pay for assigned seats. You have to make a choice, pay and sit together or don't pay and accept the possibility of being split.

I just called Airtan. The truth is many of the seats that say reserved are empty! He was able to give me 3 of those seats for $6 each versus the $13/15 noted pp.
I understand your point about them being old enough to be split except that the 13 is a girl and I would rather she sat with me. Call me paranoid but too much goes on and Fl is known for predators. The 9 year old, a boy, and though he would sit anywhere, his chatter may drive others nuts.

Also, it is just the three of us and they are a bit nervous flying. I agree toddlers would need to be with adults more. I could have called the night before and the choice would be free but cheapo grandma forked over the $18!

 

[WeLuvTink!]

Login to Airtran's website right at your 24-hour check in time. You can then pick assigned seats together for free (assuming there are still 3 seats together...which I'm sure there will be).

Assuming you're at WDW at the 24-hour mark before your return flight, go to Guest Services in any of the parks (or at your resort). They can check you in, reassign your seats if you ask them to, and they'll print your boarding passes.

Have a great trip with the grandkids!

-----
I see you posted above while I was typing my message. Maybe it will help someone else.

 

[Lewisc]

You can't go by the seat map. I'm sure more then a few Airtran passengers decide to take their chances. You can't count on getting the seats you want at T-24. A lot of families have the same idea.

Interesting, I didn't realize the seat fee was negotiable.

 

[helenk]

You can't go by the seat map. I'm sure more then a few Airtran passengers decide to take their chances. You can't count on getting the seats you want at T-24. A lot of families have the same idea.

Interesting, I didn't realize the seat fee was negotiable.

It's not that the fee is negotiable, they just have different costs for seats. Exit row seats are $20, then there are some that are $15, $13 and $6. When you make your reservation and you opt to select seats then just roll your mouse over the open seats and it will tell you the cost.
When I was going to use Airtran for my Sept trip I just selected a $6 seat (total round trip $12) as I figured I would spend $10 booking the EB seating one way with SW.
So the OP did not "get a deal" it is one of the choices available.

 

[Qtips4Mick]

Correct Helen. When I looked online though those $6 seats appeared taken. The rep said he could work magic. I guess so, cause many are empty!
Weluvtink..Thanks for your good wishes! I was afraid to take that chance for $18. We are flying home on jetblue. No charge for seat selections!

Harry Potter here we come!

 

[kaytieeldr]

I just called Airtan. The truth is many of the seats that say reserved are empty! He was able to give me 3 of those seats for $6 each versus the $13/15 noted pp.

The "$13/$15 noted pp" was the original poster's misperception.

I understand your point about them being old enough to be split except that the 13 is a girl and I would rather she sat with me. Call me paranoid but too much goes on and Fl is known for predators.

Interesting concept. Most of the passengers on the flight will be, not Florida residents but relative neighbors of yours. They'll be people of all ages, both genders, from your general area - city, state, maybe nearby states if you're near a state line or if AirTran doesn't serve other nearby airports...

I wasn't aware that 'Florida is known for predators' (I don't think its millions of residents or tourists did, either), but it's not likely they'll be on an inbound-to-Orlando flight. Plus, at thirteen, your granddaughter should be able to say "no", or get up and walk away, or yell for help, or push the flight attendant call button, in an emergency.

While I realize the seat issue is resolved and the OP didn't ask for advice, I'm just going to make a comment... taking a vacation when $45 has a vital effect on one's decisions may not be the best option, since financial emergencies can't be predicted.

 

[Vijoge]

Deleted post. I was being rude. . .

 

[tjmw2727]

Correct Helen. When I looked online though those $6 seats appeared taken. The rep said he could work magic. I guess so, cause many are empty!
Weluvtink..Thanks for your good wishes! I was afraid to take that chance for $18. We are flying home on jetblue. No charge for seat selections!

Harry Potter here we come!

Just fyi - seat selections aren't guaranteed on any airline even jet blue, aa. delta etc. Watch for a schedule change as your seats can be - re-assigned and spread all over the aircraft. I have been seperated from my kids on Jet Blue and the legacy airlines more times then I can count and they were only 2 and 4 up to 7 and 9 and we had some great and some not so great experiences being re-seated.

Jet Blue was IMHO middle of the pack as far as keeping a family together.

FWIW I would gladly pay the extra $6,9 or 12 for seats if they were guaranteed. I can go without a mickey bar if it means sitting with my kdis.

 

[suecait]

IMO it is totally worth paying the extra $ to be seated together.

I sure hope the CS's "magic" wasn't moving another paying family. I have picked a seat before to find out later that I was moved back 10 rows in the same flight. I was not happy. I hope it wasn't due to "magic".

 

[Qtips4Mick]

The "$13/$15 noted pp" was the original poster's misperception.

Interesting concept. Most of the passengers on the flight will be, not Florida residents but relative neighbors of yours. They'll be people of all ages, both genders, from your general area - city, state, maybe nearby states if you're near a state line or if AirTran doesn't serve other nearby airports...

I wasn't aware that 'Florida is known for predators' (I don't think its millions of residents or tourists did, either), but it's not likely they'll be on an inbound-to-Orlando flight. Plus, at thirteen, your granddaughter should be able to say "no", or get up and walk away, or yell for help, or push the flight attendant call button, in an emergency.

While I realize the seat issue is resolved and the OP didn't ask for advice, I'm just going to make a comment... taking a vacation when $45 has a vital effect on one's decisions may not be the best option, since financial emergencies can't be predicted.

There may be no next year. Carpe diem.
Yes, many predators move to FL, it is unknown why but the theory is the 12 month warm weather. That too has been discussed here with many links. No reflection on the majority of wonderful people there.

 

[Vijoge]

Yes, many predators move to FL, it is unknown why but the theory is the 12 month warm weather. That too has been discussed here with many links. No reflection on the majority of wonderful people there.

Curiosity got the better of me so I looked it up. The top 10 states with the most registered sex offenders (not just child molesters but sex offenders in general) are:

10. Iowa
09. South Carolina
08. Utah
07. Texas
06. Delaware
05. Florida
04. South Dakota
03. Wisconsin
02. Montana
01. Arkansas

Of these, Iowa, Utah, Delaware, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Montana have absolutely no claim to fair weather. In addition, people need to be aware that :

People You Know
Most all original and recent sexual registry law regulation on the public awareness of these individuals focuses on protecting children from the strangers; when, in actuality, most all of sexual offenses committed against children involve a family member or someone they know well.

I also found a news site that said there have only been 10 reports of alleged child molestation on commercial airplanes in the past two decades, all involving unaccompanied minors.

I worry about people who see a potential child molester hiding behind every rock, bush, and in-flight magazine. They are much more likely to be found at your church, school, or family reunion.

 

[kaytieeldr]

There may be no next year. Carpe diem.

I never implied deferring a trip. I was simply indicating that if $45 matters so much in a current trip that it affects whether one might eat or not, perhaps taking the trip is not the best decision. If one were to run into an unexpected emergency (redundant, I know) situation on such a trip, one might be up the creek without a paddle.

 

[Lewisc]

Different states have different criteria for deciding what crimes result in an offender being subject to being registered as a sex offender. Defense attorney's in some states are conscious of the distinction and are less likely to accept a plea bargain which subjects their client to being registered as a sex offender.

My point is you really can't compare statistics from state to state. I never read anything that suggests sex offenders are moving to Florida. Maybe the PP can provide a link. Everything I read suggests a child is much more at risk from a family member then a passengers sitting next to her on an airplane. Many witnesses. No private place to take the child.

kaytieeldr--I think the OP was talking about budgeting expenses. The money saved, $45 could be budgeted to the trip. The point is valid but $45 doesn't go very far. Maybe 2 tee shirts? Maybe one quick service meal for 4 people?