AirTran Fares ??

[kjs1976]

Just checking different flight options and I came across something new to me on the AirTran website. It offers several fares for each leg, but the one that is the least expensive says you will be assigned a seat at check-in versus paying close to $100 more if you pick your seat upon booking. Can anyone enlighten me on if this is a good deal or if you risk being placed anywhere and seperated from your party once you check in? We will have 6 traveling this time and we don't all need to be together, but it'd be nice to at least be in sets of 2. Also, we would check-in online as soon as we reached the 24 hr. mark to be able to do so.

Thanks!

 

[helenk]

When we used Airtran last year we were able to pick our seats when we did the online check in.

 

[safetymom]

If you check in at the 24 hour mark you should be able to sit together. There have been some flights lately that we have taken where the seats were already assigned.

 

[glass slipper girl]

If you want your seats assigned immediately, call a TA. TAs can book Airtran and assign seats immediately when you purchase them even with the lowest fares. Just make sure you ask for ticketless confirmation. If they print you a paper ticket (on that airline ticket card stock not regular paper) you can not check in online (which isn't a terribly big deal since your seat is already assigned but it does save you a stop at the airport!).

You shouldn't have a problem getting at least sets of 2 seats together if you check in online 24 hours prior. The only issue may be your return flight if you don't have a way to check in online while on your vacation. No big deal if you can't print the passes as long as you can check in. You can assign your seats then when you get to the airport you can go to a kiosk and print a new boarding pass without losing your seat assignment.

 

[safetymom]

It seems on some flights they are assigning seats for those that didn't book through a travel agent. If you bought the tickets together I would imagine you would be seated together. This seems to happen on busier flights.

You can always get to the airport early because they do hold back some seats to be assigned at the gate.

Also you can check in online and not print a boarding pass. When you get to the airport you can print it there. I do this a lot when I am out of town on business. When I am checking my luggage they print the boarding pass.