Airtran booked with SW, recent experience with seats?

[twinone]

Anyone who's traveling on a ticket purchased with SW on Airtran can you let me know your experience with seating assisments?
I know we can't have any seats assigned till 24 hr prior at checkin. Of course now I'm nervous that my 8 and 4 year old will be sitting alone..ugh!

 

[DebbieB]

Anyone who's traveling on a ticket purchased with SW on Airtran can you let me know your experience with seating assisments?
I know we can't have any seats assigned till 24 hr prior at checkin. Of course now I'm nervous that my 8 and 4 year old will be sitting alone..ugh!

See post #261, page 18:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3097252

 

[JimboCh]

We just got 5 seats.

Checked in online at the 24hr mark.

Seats on plane go like this A,C.other side of plane D, E, F
A & F are window seats, C & D are aisle , E is a middle.

1st Confirmation Row 11. Seats A,D and E

2nd Confirmation Row 12 Seat D

3rd Confirmation Row 14 Seat C

1st confirmation, we plan on asking if the single traveler in F will take my A seat, so I can sit with my wife and son. Don't think it will be a problem.

2nd and 3rd Confirmation are fine , they are adults and don't mind the aisle seats at all.

They are diagonally across from each other very close....These Boeing 717 planes do not have a row 13.

We are happy with the assignments.Boarding passes say Airtran on them though, just wonderring how the porter at the curb will know we bought through Southwest and not try to charge us for each bag?

I plan on bringing my Southwest Confirmation just incase to show him we bought through Southwest.

Curious to hear how others handled this?

 

[DisFam11]

We booked thru SW and had an Airtran flight. They did try to charge us for bags, but I had confirmation and told them we didn't have to pay and they backed off. No problems!

 

[JimboCh]

We booked thru SW and had an Airtran flight. They did try to charge us for bags, but I had confirmation and told them we didn't have to pay and they backed off. No problems!

So I guess you had a regular Airtran Skycap take your bags, I wasn't sure to get dropped off at Southwest or
Airtran, I guess that answers that question.

 

[KaLyn]

From what I understand this is the problem (but someone please correct me if I'm wrong)...I'll use AT for AirTran and SW for Southwest...

If you book AT flights through AT, you pay a fee to pick your specific seat. Then, you get your picked seat when you board. Easy peasy, right? Keep reading...

If you book SW through SW, then you don't get to pick your seat but no one does so it's not that big of a deal. If your party has children, you'll get to sit together and this will be determined upon check-in. Again, rather easy to understand. But just wait...

I *think* booking SW through AT is working out fine but I could be wrong. The issue is (again, from what I understand) occurring when someone buys an AT ticket through SW. That flight is actually listed on two different websites (SW and AT), one site is letting you pick your seat (for a fee) and one is not letting you pick your seat at all. Well, when the seating is figured out, the people who have picked their seats (and paid the fee via the AT website) are of course given the seat that they picked. This then leaves random seating throughout the plane (2 seats here, 3 there, 1 there, etc.) to put the people who didn't get to pick their seats in advance because they booked through SW. So then, upon boarding, those who booked AT through SW are wanting their party to sit together but theres no room for that because those who booked AT though AT are refusing to move because they paid for their seat.

What's the easiest solution? Book AT with AT and book SW with SW. But of course, the prices for these flights are likely different on each site, and with prices of airfare going up and up we all want the best deal.

 

[kaytieeldr]

So then, upon boarding, those who booked AT through SW are wanting their party to sit together but theres no room for that because those who booked AT though AT are refusing to move because they paid for their seat.
What's the easiest solution? Book AT with AT and book SW with SW. But of course, the prices for these flights are likely different on each site, and with prices of airfare going up and up we all want the best deal.

Not upon boarding; at check-in (24 hours before departure). If the assigned seats don't work, the entire party can arrive at the gate early and ask if it's possible to be seated closer, or in pairs.

The best deal and the best value aren't necessarily the same thing. If sitting as a single group is important, booking on an airline where you get no choice/control over your seat selection (for any reason) isn't a good value or deal, no matter what the price.

 

[KaLyn]

Not upon boarding; at check-in (24 hours before departure). If the assigned seats don't work, the entire party can arrive at the gate early and ask if it's possible to be seated closer, or in pairs.

The best deal and the best value aren't necessarily the same thing. If sitting as a single group is important, booking on an airline where you get no choice/control over your seat selection (for any reason) isn't a good value or deal, no matter what the price.

Oops! Upon check-in, sorry! Long post/explanation with little kids around makes for easy mistakes.

And you're right about deal vs. value. My gang doesn't want to risk having the hassle of messing with seating so we're booking where we know we will get seats together even though its more expensive. However, now that I think if it, having my 3 year old next to a stranger while I'm five rows back may put her behavior in check lol.

 

[nhfd155]

From what I understand this is the problem (but someone please correct me if I'm wrong)...I'll use AT for AirTran and SW for Southwest... If you book AT flights through AT, you pay a fee to pick your specific seat. Then, you get your picked seat when you board. Easy peasy, right? Keep reading... If you book SW through SW, then you don't get to pick your seat but no one does so it's not that big of a deal. If your party has children, you'll get to sit together and this will be determined upon check-in. Again, rather easy to understand. But just wait... I *think* booking SW through AT is working out fine but I could be
wrong. The issue is (again, from what I understand) occurring when someone buys an AT ticket through SW. That flight is actually listed on two different websites (SW and AT), one site is letting you pick your seat (for a fee) and one is not letting you pick your seat at all. Well, when the seating is figured out, the people who have picked their seats (and paid the fee via the AT website) are of course given the seat that they picked. This then leaves random seating throughout the plane (2 seats here, 3 there, 1 there, etc.) to put the people who didn't get to pick their seats in advance because they booked through SW. So then, upon boarding, those who booked AT through SW are wanting their party to sit together but theres no room for that because those who booked AT though AT are refusing to move because they paid for their seat. What's the easiest solution? Book AT with AT and book SW with SW. But of course, the prices for these flights are likely different on each site, and with prices of airfare going up and up we all want the best deal.

From what I heard, AT blocks off rows of seats for SW so you shouldn't get staggered seats.
working out fine but I could be wrong. The issue is (again, from what I understand) occurring when someone buys an AT ticket through SW. That flight is actually listed on two different websites (SW and AT), one site is letting you pick your seat (for a fee) and one is not letting you pick your seat at all. Well, when the seating is figured out, the people who have picked their seats (and paid the fee via the AT website) are of course given the seat that they picked. This then leaves random seating throughout the plane (2 seats here, 3 there, 1 there, etc.) to put the people who didn't get to pick their seats in advance because they booked through SW. So then, upon boarding, those who booked AT through SW are wanting their party to sit together but theres no room for that because those who booked AT though AT are refusing to move because they paid for their seat. What's the easiest solution? [/QUOTE]

From what I heard, AT blocks off rows of seats for SW so you shouldn't get too staggered seats. I hope if families are separated, AT or other customers will make arrangements to accommodate families with small children. I am flying AT (booked through SW with points) and I am worried the more I hear. But I have changed seats for other people in the past. It's not a big deal to change seats. If someone is in my assigned seats, and causing my kids(5&8) to sit alone, you might see me on the nightly news!

 

[Jewel3k]

Very timely thread. We are flying out Tuesday morning on Airtran booked through Southwest. Hoping I get to sit next to my husband, but not counting on it. Looking forward to not paying for luggage. I have under packed in anticipation of souvenirs.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Please be advised though that rows 10 & 11 are initially held back for people with disabilities. They can be assigned by an AirTran agent ahead of time to an AT passenger thru the phone line but I was clearly told over the phone you cannot select them online 'yourself' ahead of time. If they are not assigned out at the 24 hour mark they will be given out to the passengers who booked tickets thru the SW website. However, if a guest with a disability (think passenger who booked AT flight thru SW website) needs one of these seats when they check in at the gate, you (as in whoever has originally been assigned that seat) will be bumped and reassigned to another seat. Since Disabled travelers on SW are preboarded this is a non issue, but because AT cannot do that (for those passengers that bought their tickets thru the SW website) and they are REQUIRED to meet the needs of the disabled guest in order to comply with Air Carrier Access Act (similar to ADA laws), passengers in those seats, If Needed, will have to be reseated elsewhere. Not trying to start any arguments or debates, but this is direct from AirTran and this is policy in order to comply with the law. So just a heads up that if you are in rows 10 or 11 and a disabled passenger that booked a ticket thru SW checks in at the gate, you could be reseated at the last minute. AT HAS to accommodate the disabled passenger or they are in noncompliance with the ACAA. That is probably why SW does the preboarding so that this is a nonissue...

 

[WhitGB]

We too booked thru SW on an Air Tran flight to use points and get the free bags. We were worried about the kids having to sit alone so we bought the kids and grandparents tickets on AT, allowing us to pick/pay for seats.

My husband and I would be willing to move for families but would not be at all happy if someone came around asking for kids/grandparents combo to move. I paid for them to sit together and have priority boarding for that reason.

I have read the horror stories of people refusing to sit if their family was not together, holding up flights. Lets hope this AT/SW merger completes fully soon so everyone is on equal footing.

 

[houseofduck]

We are considering buying AT tickets on SW. I have read on another board about going to the airport ticket counter to get seat assignments before (even weeks before) the 24 hour check-in time.

Has anyone ever tried this? From what I have read, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

We are considering buying AT tickets on SW. I have read on another board about going to the airport ticket counter to get seat assignments before (even weeks before) the 24 hour check-in time.

Has anyone ever tried this? From what I have read, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

What a waste of time, plus it should not work. When you buy AirTran tickets through Southwest, you don't get seat assignments until 24 hours before the flight:

http://www.airtran.com/faq/swa_airtran_connectivity.aspx

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

?......
I have read the horror stories of people refusing to sit if their family was not together, holding up flights. Lets hope this AT/SW merger completes fully soon so everyone is on equal footing.

You have a wait; the merger will not be complete until the end of 2014.

I have no idea what you mean when you say you want everyone on "equal footing." If you want advanced seat assignments, give up the free bag and buy tickets through AirTran. Your choice.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

If your party has children, you'll get to sit together and this will be determined upon check-in....

This is incorrect. You get a boarding number for Southwest at check-in, not a specific seat.

And you are NOT guaranteed seating with your children.

 

[KaLyn]

This is incorrect. You get a boarding number for Southwest at check-in, not a specific seat.

And you are NOT guaranteed seating with your children.

Yes, boarding number, not seat, sorry!

As far as the actual boarding goes, I've recently seen it done where families sit together but maybe that's changed in the 6 months since I've flown.

 

[nhfd155]

This is incorrect. You get a boarding number for Southwest at check-in, not a specific seat. And you are NOT guaranteed seating with your children.

If I remember correctly, with kids you board between zone A and B unless you already have A boarding. Either way, before B, there should be enough empty seats to sit families together.

 

[KaLyn]

And I guess I should mention that when I say "family seated together" I don't mean a guarantee that your entire party will all be together. For a party of 4 (2 adults, 2 kids) for example... I mean that one child will be with one adult, sitting together. And somewhere else, maybe 10 rows back, it'll be the other adult with the other child, which for us (and the parties of 10+ that I'm used to traveling with) that counts as sitting together.

 

[KaLyn]

If I remember correctly, with kids you board between zone A and B unless you already have A boarding. Either way, before B, there should be enough empty seats to sit families together.

That's how I remember it too! And since no one has seat assignments anyway, it's almost a guarantee that families will get together.