Airtran online check-in, Seat selection question

[Minniekins]

We leave this Saturday on Airtran from Chicago midway to Orlando. We will be checking in online at the 24 ahead of time mark(about 5:50pm). Now, we have already selected and paid for seats. But, I was wondering about possibly switching these seat selections. They do open up the rest of the available seating at that 24 hr mark, right? Well, if we check and see other seats we'd rather have, can we try to grab those at that time instead? I don't expect to get money back at all, even though they don't charge a fee at the 24 hr checkin seat selection, but just wondered if we'd be able to grab a different pair of seats if available. Does anyone know how this would work or if it's possible to do this? Don't want to lose our seats in the process. Thanks for any help anyone can give!

 

[aubriee]

Yes, you can. Just a note though: If you purchase them ahead of time, rows 10-12 ($15.00 seats) guarantee you boarding zone 1. If there are any left over at the 24 hour mark and you choose to move up to one of these seats for free, your boarding zone is zone 7, which means that you will be last on the plane and may or may not find overhead space. If you have already purchased your seats and choose to move up at the 24 hour mark, you do not get your money back, but can choose any empty seat, as long as it is in coach.

 

[Minniekins]

Hey, thanks for much for answering, I appreciate it! That's good to know, I had no idea about the boarding zones and all. So, rows 10, 11, and 12, if I switch to one of them, I'll board near the end or at the end, possibly not having room for a carry on. Hmm, what do they do with them then? So, if I choose rows like 13, 14, we'll board sooner and have a better chance for finding space for our bag? Okay, well, thanks again for your help!

 

[aubriee]

Hey, thanks for much for answering, I appreciate it! That's good to know, I had no idea about the boarding zones and all. So, rows 10, 11, and 12, if I switch to one of them, I'll board near the end or at the end, possibly not having room for a carry on. Hmm, what do they do with them then? So, if I choose rows like 13, 14, we'll board sooner and have a better chance for finding space for our bag? Okay, well, thanks again for your help!

Airtran boards by zones, but I don't remember the exact sequence. Sorry! Business class boards first, then zone 1 (which is rows 10-12, but only if you purchased those seats). Then I believe it goes to the back of the plane and works it way up, with the window seats boarding before the aisle seats. Sometimes I think there is no rhyme or reason to it. It seems like they go front, back, front, back working their ways toward the middle. I've been in an aisle seat in row 13 several times and had a boarding zone 6. Once I was with my mom and husband. We were in the same row, but had three different boarding zones, with my mom's window seat being like zone 4, my middle seat zone 5, and my husband's aisle seat zone 6. If you are boarding with family members and have different boarding zones, you can all board with the lowest number.

 

[peemagg]

If you go to www.seatguru.com, they explain the loading procedure for each airline and whether or not your chosen seats are good or have some difficulties (i.e. noise, blocked view, lack of room).

 

[Minniekins]

Thank you both for your replies! Gotta go check in any min now and decide to keep or not keep our seats!

 

[Minniekins]

So we kept our seats in row 17 because of the boarding in zone 7 thing. Well, now I'm zone 6 and my daughter is zone 7 anyway! oh well, hopefully we shall find a spot for our two bags. What if there isn't any room, what do they do then?

 

[dudspizza]

So we kept our seats in row 17 because of the boarding in zone 7 thing. Well, now I'm zone 6 and my daughter is zone 7 anyway! oh well, hopefully we shall find a spot for our two bags. What if there isn't any room, what do they do then?

I honestly think people worry way too much about boarding zones.

The FA's work very hard to fill the overheads, moving stuff around if needed. If the area above your seats area looks like it can be rearranged, politely ask the folks around you if you can adjust the bags up there to make everything fit....

If you have a roll a board and it absolutely won't fit, Airtran will gate check it for free..... it would be tagged and sent to baggage claim with the other luggage... if it is a carry on small enough to go under your seat, that is where you will put it....

Again, I wouldn't worry too much about it... travel safe!

Duds