AirTran Flight Change

[VroomVroomLightning]

I keep getting e-mails from Air Tran that our return flight has changed. I accepted it the first time but now am wondering if I should just switch to the next day in the early morning.

If I remember correctly if they switch your flight times, can you switch to a different flight time at no charge, since they made the changes?

 

[loveswdw]

If I recall correctly, if they've notified you & you've accepted the changes, you can't switch. If you haven't accepted the changes, then you can. Have they only changed it once but sent you multiple e-mails? Or have they changed the flight multiple times?

 

[OKW Lover]

It no doubt depends on how significant the change is. If its only a few minutes then I wouldn't expect to be able to change for free. OTOH, if its hours different then they should allow you to change for free.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

If you keep receiving emails about the same time change and you've already accepted the change, that's it. I guess you could call and try to change to a different flight anyway.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

It no doubt depends on how significant the change is. If its only a few minutes then I wouldn't expect to be able to change for free. OTOH, if its hours different then they should allow you to change for free.

Just playing devil's advocate, not trying to start an argument,
But who's to say how much change is "too much" of a difference? Should it be 2-3 mins, 20 mins, 45 mins? It would be different with everyone and their reason for flying. Should there be a threshold where any change more than a certain amount of change is not acceptable? I would think most people on vacation have some flexibility but what if you're flying for a wedding or business? Should we have to justify with a "good enough" reason to the phone agent that 25 mins is too much?
If it's only a minute or 2, why would the airline bother to ask if it's acceptable or not?

For our return flight on USAirways, they moved it 15 mins later and we were able to move it to the next earlier flight with no change fee. Normally, I wouldn't care but our usual noon flight wasn't offered so I was stuck with a 1:45pm return. After I booked it, they added the noon return. I couldn't switch w/o paying a fee and probably wouldn't have even tried to get on the earlier flight except that they moved the 1:45 to a LATER time and not earlier which would leave us sitting in MCO for hours post cruise, just killing time, while we have a lot to do at home before going to work/school the next day.

 

[DebbieB]

From what I've heard, AirTran is pretty liberal on the flight changes. Any change in time will give you the option to change. Delta's general rule is 90 minutes but I was able to get a change when mine was changed by 30 minutes twice. Depends on who you talk to. If at first you don't succeed, try try again!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Just playing devil's advocate, not trying to start an argument,
But who's to say how much change is "too much" of a difference? Should it be 2-3 mins, 20 mins, 45 mins? It would be different with everyone and their reason for flying. Should there be a threshold where any change more than a certain amount of change is not acceptable? I would think most people on vacation have some flexibility but what if you're flying for a wedding or business? Should we have to justify with a "good enough" reason to the phone agent that 25 mins is too much?
If it's only a minute or 2, why would the airline bother to ask if it's acceptable or not?

What are you talking about? What difference does it make what you or I might consider a reasonable flight change? The airline sets the rules, not the PAX.

 

[TaraPA]

We've changed to flights on a totally different day with only a 10 min. flight time change, on Airtran.

I can't tell from your original post if you're receiving multiple emails regarding the ONE flight time change or there have been multiple changes. Like others have said, if it's just one change & you've accepted it, I don't think you can change for free. If they changed it again after you accepted it, you should be able to call & choose something else with no charge.

 

[VroomVroomLightning]

We got one e-mail with a change and accepted it. Now we got another e-mail with another flight change but haven't accepted yet.

I will call tomorrow to find out our options! Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[Inkmahm]

From what I've heard, AirTran is pretty liberal on the flight changes. Any change in time will give you the option to change. Delta's general rule is 90 minutes but I was able to get a change when mine was changed by 30 minutes twice. Depends on who you talk to. If at first you don't succeed, try try again!

I have changed an Airtran flight when my time changed by 4 minutes. I was able to change it to a different DAY, not just a different flight on the same day.

Airtran has amazng customer service (at least until it switches to Southwest standards.)

 

[VroomVroomLightning]

I have changed an Airtran flight when my time changed by 4 minutes. I was able to change it to a different DAY, not just a different flight on the same day.

Airtran has amazng customer service (at least until it switches to Southwest standards.)

Did you get charged if the next days ticket cost more?

 

[Inkmahm]

Did you get charged if the next days ticket cost more?

No. In all the times I have switched flights after Airtran has changed a time for a flight I have, I never have been charged anything to change to a different flight. No fees, no additional fares. Airtran is great about making changes.

 

[dudspizza]

Did you get charged if the next days ticket cost more?

Just simply call Airtran and tell the agent they have made a change to your flight that is acceptable and you would like to switch to flight xyz. I have moved my flights to the day later without any issues. Airtran is very liberal with letting you change your flights after they made a flight schedule change.

Airtran is known for making changes to the schedule, but they are also know for working with their customers to make sure they are happy. Some passengers will book cheaper flights know changes will most likely happen and then they call to make changes...

Duds

 

[VroomVroomLightning]

Just wanted to give a final update on this. I called AirTran this evening after making sure we were ok with staying that extra night and they were more than happy to help me. I got moved from the last nonstop flight that evening to the first nonstop the next day! No change fees or anything, and our seat selection came with us too!

Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

How far out are the changes generally made? We are 31 days out from our flight. I was planning on trying to fly standby on the day of departure to get an earlier time w/o paying the fees, but maybe there is a chance they will change the schedule, thus allowing me to move to an earlier flight anyways. Do these things usually happen far in advance or last minute?
Also, does anyone have experience with switching to an earlier flight by going standby? It looks like the 2 earlier flights that day have lots of seats open still.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Yay! I love disboards! I would have never know about the flight changes. I just looked and ours was moved back 30 mins so I called and was able to change it to a 7pm flight the night prior. Now we will get the whole day in WDW on the 27th instead of landing at 2:30pm.

 

[VroomVroomLightning]

Yay! I love disboards! I would have never know about the flight changes. I just looked and ours was moved back 30 mins so I called and was able to change it to a 7pm flight the night prior. Now we will get the whole day in WDW on the 27th instead of landing at 2:30pm.

That's awesome!! Congrats! More time in Disney is always good news!

 

[TinkStitch]

Also, does anyone have experience with switching to an earlier flight by going standby? It looks like the 2 earlier flights that day have lots of seats open still.

I'm flying AirTran on Thursday & hoping to switch to an earlier flight by going stand by. When I booked my flights, I was supposed to have class until 10:30 that morning, so I booked the flight that leaves at 1:50pm. I don't have class on Thursday now, so I'm going to the airport at 5:30am to try to get standby on the 7:45 flight. Looking at it now, there are 61 regular seats still available on the morning flight, I know there are people who booked tickets but didnt preselect their seats, but I don't think the entire plane will be full of people doing that. The nice thing about AirTran is if there's room on the flight, you can guarantee a standby seat for $25 or wait for them to call you from the standby list for free. I'm willing to pay the $25 to get to Disney earlier. That's an extra half a day at the parks for me. I'll let you know how it works out.