Airtran--best Seats To Choose At Online Check-in???

[princess crazy]

Hi all!

We are going to do the online check-in before our flight and I was wondering if anyone here has done this with Airtran before? We will be on 2 different flights each way and both of them have the configuration with 2 seats on one side and 3 seats on the other side of the plane both in the same row. There are 5 of us so I'm hoping we will be able to get all of us in the same row.

I'm thinking I would like to be in the front of the plane just so we will be able to get off first and it always seems to be so loud in the back of the plane. Any suggestions on what are the best seats--row wise and what you think. Also if you used the online check in is the 24 hours before the flight the time of the city it flys out of? For example we have one flight out of our hometown in the morning and then we go to a connecting flight in Atlanta. Will we have to check in for both of these flights at seperate 24 hour times or since they are all the same ticket will we be able to check in for both flights as soon as the time window opens for the earlier flight out of our hometown?

Thanks for your help!

 

[off2disney]

I just read on another post that you can go to www.seatguru.com and if you know the kind of plane you will be flying on, it will show you the choice seats and the ones to avoid (seats don't recline, no overhead storage, etc.) I checked my seats and am happy with the ones I've got. Other posters have suggested the front of the plane is quieter and you get off faster -- the back of the plane is safer (I guess that is relative, though).

 

[princess crazy]

Thanks off2disney but I already saw the same thread and tried to check our airline and it's not listed on that site. That's why I posted this here. Thanks though! Anyone else?

 

[DebbieB]

I would definitely try for the front half. Airtran flies DC-9's and 717's, both have the engines mounted on the sides of the back and it is very noisy back there.

 

[NCRedding]

When we flew Airtran in October, I tried to check in on line 24 hours before the first flight, and it allowed me to select seats for both flights, however, it didn't allow me to complete the booking process and print out passes. When I checked in at ticket counter, the seat numbers were in the computer, so we got the seats we asked for. Coming back, we had no way of getting online prior getting to airport so we took our chances. Like everyone else, I prefer the front seat. I think we were no farther back than row 15.

 

[princess crazy]

Thanks alot everyone!

Also was wondering if you know what the seat numbers go up to that they board by? I know they usually start boarding in the back of the plane and I was wondering what the last set of seat numbers on airtran were to board. Usually there is 3 sets and I'm wondering if we got seats in that middle set if we would still be fairly close to the front? I would rather be as close to the front as possible but then you deal with sometimes not having any space left in the overhead bins if the flight is fairly full. Anyone know this?

 

[smart cookie]

Originally posted by off2disney
the back of the plane is safer (I guess that is relative, though).

Not always...see this story.

 

[BrerMama]

We'll also be flying AirTran and I'll be checking in online 24 hours prior. We'll have to take our chances coming back because I won't have internet access during the vacation. Tacking onto the OP's latest question, does Air Tran allow families with small children to board first? We'll have a 4 year old with us and if we can board first, thereby not having to worry about the space in the overhead bins, I'll get seats towards the front. I'm also going to try to not put anything in the overhead bins... everything will go under the seat in front of us.

 

[princess crazy]

Brermama--

Sorry but we've flown Airtran alot and with all of our experiences they have only let people with infants on early. I know what you mean we were hoping to be able to do this 2 years ago when our Dd was only 3. Have a safe trip!

 

[off2disney]

smart cookie: what a horrible accident!

I guess what I meant when I said the back was relatively safer -- if there's a "crash", usually the odds aren't too good whereever your sitting. (Boy, there's nothing like spooking yourself a couple of weeks before your flight, isn't there?0

 

[Candice30]

i took airtran to disney this past august. it was also my first time using online check-in. everything went smoothly. i got online 24 hours before and picked our seats and then printed our boarding passes. when we arrived at the airport, we just showed our boarding passes and the attendant printed tags for our bags and we proceeded straight to the gate. we were a family of 4 so we chose the 2 seat side of the plane and sat in 2 rows. to me, we appeared to have more leg room on this side of the plane.

as far as the overhead compartments go, we didn't have a problem. i believe we were in the middle of the plane and if they were full, the flight attendant found one that was empty. we didn't have bags to put in but the people who did still had their bags only in the compartment in front of them or beside them.

also, when we went, they only allowed people with children under 2 to board first. lastly, on our return, i was concerned about checking in online for the return flight. i was happy to learn that animal kingdom lodge had internet access and it only cost me $3-$4 to do it. the only drawback, there were no printers available so i just wrote down our confirmation numbers. check with your hotel, chances are they have internet accesss. if they do not have a printer, i would call airtran after you pick seats to confirm that they are the seats you picked as we had a problem with one seat.

hope this has helped!