Airtran boarding procedure

[LdnCpl]

We've never flown Airtran before. Going down and coming back we are scheduled to use their 737's. We elected to pick and pay for seats in rows 27 and 28. Just curious... after priority boarding, do they load front to back, back to front or does it vary depending on the person doing it.

 

[kbucklew]

It's been over a year since we flew air tran, but as I remember, people that needed asistance loaded first, then they loaded from the window seats, out to the aisle. I'm not sure about the front to back or vise versa.

we were pleased with air tran and would use them again. even paying extra for the baggage it still cost less than the other airlines and they handle all of our luggage as part of the magical express.

hope this helps.

 

[dudspizza]

According to seatguru.com, Airtran uses a rotating boarding procedure.... I for the life of me, can't recall what exactly they did the last time I flew them (I have flown so many different airlines over the last 5-6 years).

http://www.seatguru.com/articles/boarding_procedures.php

duds

 

[Simba&Nala]

We flew Airtran a couple of years ago. Typically they board those in need of special assistance first, then first class & elite members and then the rest was boarded by zones. Not sure how they determine who is in what zone. I

 

[seashoreCM]

Some airlines assign the zones in a zigzag or hopscotch fashion. One flyertalker called it "tandem" boarding.

(To say it more complicatedly, like far back, then middle, then not so far back, then medium front, then slightly aft of middle, etc.)

This thread is going to have to sit here for folks to chime in on how Airtran does it and on which flights. Delta uses the hopscotch at least on some of their flights.

In straightforward back to front boarding there is only one small (and concentrated) area of stowing starting at the back and working forward slightly faster* than the seats are filled. The hopscotch is meant to have two or three areas of concentrated stowing, to speed up the process. Like burning a candle at both ends. Or more spectacularly, can you light a Fourth of July sparkler in the middle and also at the end?

* When the area of concentrated stowing beats the area of seating to the end (front) then people have to gate check their carry-ons.

 

[sammielynn]

Flew Airtran in December. The boarded those that needed assistance first. Business class next. Then from back to front of the plane.

 

[Missytara]

Airtran does board back to front; but they board the window and middle seat first, and then the aisle seat with the window/middle seat in the next group.

 

[seashoreCM]

Airtran does board back to front; but they board the window and middle seat first, and then the aisle seat with the window/middle seat in the next group.

I think this is called the pyramid system. Another example:

(back)
234 432 (zone 2 at the windows)
234 432
345 543
345 543
456 654
456 654
(front)

 

[goofy4tink]

Airtran does board back to front; but they board the window and middle seat first, and then the aisle seat with the window/middle seat in the next group.

That's what I remember as well. I was about 2/3 of the way back, in a window seat, and boarded pretty early in the process.

 

[lllGurulll]

How will this work with my kids then if we end up with different boarding zones? We are all in the same row but will take up 4 seats. If they are boarding the window seats first that will cause us to be separated.

 

[aubriee]

How will this work with my kids then if we end up with different boarding zones? We are all in the same row but will take up 4 seats. If they are boarding the window seats first that will cause us to be separated.

No, they make the announcement that if members of your boarding party have different zone numbers, then all members can board with the lowest zone number. Once my mom, husband and I all three had different zone numbers, but were able to board with my mom since she had a window seat and the lowest boarding zone number.

Something I didn't see mentioned is that if you pay for those $15.00 seats that are those first few rows, just behind business class, you will get boarding Zone 1. That's why those seats cost more to purchase. If you wait until 24 hours out and choose one of those seats for free though, then you get boarding Zone 7, which is the last boarding zone. It seems like Air Tran boards those needing assistance first, then first class, then use a rotating zone with Zone 1 being those just behind first class (again only those that paid for those seats though), then Zone 2 starts toward the back of the plane and are usually window seats.

OT: In order to make sure I board early in order to have no problem finding a place to store my carry on (and to make sure it's over my head), plus the fact that due to clastrophobic issues, I pay the $15.00 seat fee to make sure I get an aisle seat close to the front of the plane. I sat in the back once and swore I'd never do it again. I can't stand looking up that long skinny tube and I hate the closed in feeling of window or center seats. Anyway, I pay for the seat I need. I resent that just because I'm often solo, couples and families always try to make me trade my nice $15.00 zone 1 aisle seat for some middle seat in the back of the plane, just because they were too cheap to pay for seats together. Off soap box now! lol

 

[lllGurulll]

That made me think of another question. We are sitting in row 25 on the way down and row 23 on the way back. What loading zone will that put us in?

 

[aubriee]

That made me think of another question. We are sitting in row 25 on the way down and row 23 on the way back. What loading zone will that put us in?

Check here:
http://www.seatguru.com/articles/boarding_procedures.php#Rotating_Zone

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/AirTran_Airways/information.php

You didn't say which size plane you were going to be on, but seat guru says that Air Tran's 717 boards row 23 last, so you may have trouble finding an overhead bin. Window seats on that entire side have limited underseat storage due to an equipment box on that side. That first link I gave is just a tad out of date, because again anyone that purchases those first few rows (12-16 which are the $15.00 seats) get Boarding zone 1.

 

[dis-happy]

After special needs and business class, they also call for any elite members (not just those sitting in business class) to board before general boarding. Then the back to front thing.

 

[ccgirl]

I thought the zones were also assigned by order of check in? I had the same seat on both flights but checked in for my flight home much later. We had the last boarding zone assigned. Who knows...all I know is I didn't much care since I had an actual seat. I just love that!

 

[lllGurulll]

Check here:
http://www.seatguru.com/articles/boarding_procedures.php#Rotating_Zone

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/AirTran_Airways/information.php

You didn't say which size plane you were going to be on, but seat guru says that Air Tran's 717 boards row 23 last, so you may have trouble finding an overhead bin. Window seats on that entire side have limited underseat storage due to an equipment box on that side. That first link I gave is just a tad out of date, because again anyone that purchases those first few rows (12-16 which are the $15.00 seats) get Boarding zone 1.

According to my seating chart the last row on my flight is 31 which is also on a 737-700

 

[C & L Shaw]

Ok, so this thread got me thinking about our upcoming trip in May. I pre-purchased our seats and on our trip down, we purchased seats closer to front and for our return trip we purchased seats further back. Only thought process on this was to be close to the front so we could be first off when we land in Orlando. Those seats were $15 each and the return seats were $6.

I decided to look into the return seats and when I hit change seats, it brought up what I had previously purchased. Guess what I saw that was not there when I originally chose the seats? There was a green highlighted area that showed Zone 1 seating and said 1st to board. So the seats to Orlando were in Zone 1 and the return seats were not, so I went ahead and changed the seats to a Zone 1. My cost, $14 extra and well worth it!

Thanks for the thread Now I know that we can board and relax!

 

[lllGurulll]

I take it nobody has flown Airtran in row 23 or 25 on the big jet? Would really like to know if that will be zone 2 or not.

 

[Christine9125]

Ok, so this thread got me thinking about our upcoming trip in May. I pre-purchased our seats and on our trip down, we purchased seats closer to front and for our return trip we purchased seats further back. Only thought process on this was to be close to the front so we could be first off when we land in Orlando. Those seats were $15 each and the return seats were $6.

I decided to look into the return seats and when I hit change seats, it brought up what I had previously purchased. Guess what I saw that was not there when I originally chose the seats? There was a green highlighted area that showed Zone 1 seating and said 1st to board. So the seats to Orlando were in Zone 1 and the return seats were not, so I went ahead and changed the seats to a Zone 1. My cost, $14 extra and well worth it!

Thanks for the thread Now I know that we can board and relax!

I was thinking about changing our seats also, and wanted to make sure I was reading this right, they only charge you the difference on price between what you already bought and what you are changing too? Also, does anyone know if they charge to just change rows within your same price?

 

[NJR]

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