Airtran Price Change - Shocked!

[Willow1213]

Last week I booked a last minute trip to visit family for Thanksgiving. I booked exactly 14 days out and was thankful that I got a decent price ($230 RT from ATL-DFW). Well today I looked online to see how "full" the plane looked based on seats that were already taken off of the seat chart. I was shocked that the price of my flight had decreased $75! My flight leaves Monday!

I called AirTran to see if they would do anything about the price change thinking that I would receive an AirTran "credit" for future flights, based on what I could find from a quick search of the boards. I was shocked when the lady asked me to verify the last 4 of my credit card number and said that the $$ would be credited to my card!

Before the transportation boards explodes, I think this occurred because I booked my flight through my company's corporate discount program. This normally only gets my 5% off and a free checked bag, but this trip it also netted me an extra $75 in my pocket for Xmas.

Just an FYI for those out there that work for larger companies. Ask around or look on your HR website to see if you get a discount. It may not seem like much, but it might save you a bundle in the long run.

 

[cm8]

Last week I booked a last minute trip to visit family for Thanksgiving. I booked exactly 14 days out and was thankful that I got a decent price ($230 RT from ATL-DFW). Well today I looked online to see how "full" the plane looked based on seats that were already taken off of the seat chart. I was shocked that the price of my flight had decreased $75! My flight leaves Monday!

I called AirTran to see if they would do anything about the price change thinking that I would receive an AirTran "credit" for future flights, based on what I could find from a quick search of the boards. I was shocked when the lady asked me to verify the last 4 of my credit card number and said that the $$ would be credited to my card!

Before the transportation boards explodes, I think this occurred because I booked my flight through my company's corporate discount program. This normally only gets my 5% off and a free checked bag, but this trip it also netted me an extra $75 in my pocket for Xmas.

Just an FYI for those out there that work for larger companies. Ask around or look on your HR website to see if you get a discount. It may not seem like much, but it might save you a bundle in the long run.

Thanks!

 

[Daddio]

There was another person on this board that had mentioned a credit received from AirTran, so I quickly checked a January flight that we had purchased and it had dropped $50.00. I called AirTran expecting to hear the sad story but much to my surprise, they were extremely friendly and issued me a credit for future flights.

Way to go AirTran!

David

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

See Also: Southwest buys Airtran.

This has nothing to do with a corporate discount program.

Enjoy.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Great AirTran service again. Hopefully such will continue in the SW era whenever that comes to fruition. Great story, Abby, thanks for sharing.

 

[Microcell]

Yep.. sounds like Southwest at work!

 

[Allison]

I got credits from AirTran before they were bought by Southwest.

 

[LIFERBABE]

I got credits from AirTran before they were bought by Southwest.

Congrats!

Airtran has been giving credits and great customer service long before SWA purchased them.
I have flown AT almost exclusively for the last 5 years

 

[aubriee]

Congrats!

Airtran has been giving credits and great customer service long before SWA purchased them.
I have flown AT almost exclusively for the last 5 years

I agree and same here! I notice you're from the DFW area too. I'm really dreading Southwest taking over. Thanks to the Wright Ammendment they can't fly out of DFW, so as soon as they take over, all our Air Tran flighs will be moved over to Dallas Lovefield. Plus flying out of Dallas, Southwest is always so much more expensive than either Air Tran or American Airlines. I refuse to fly out of Lovefield, so it looks like our only choice will now be American. I currently have Air Tran tickets for both my upcoming Dec and May trips, but am undecided what to do about my Sept flight. I'd hate to buy Air Tran tickets, just to find out they'd been canceled or the flight moved over to Lovefield.

 

[keishashadow]

Congrats!

Airtran has been giving credits and great customer service long before SWA purchased them.
I have flown AT almost exclusively for the last 5 years

they stopped giving the credits approx mid summer '09 thru this summer...or perhaps they just 'profiled' me; no, others have posted here & flyertalk as to same inconsistencies as to enforecement)/ Their website used to indicate they wouldn't issue credits, not sure of official written policy now. I was shot down when asking for credits this July, them's the breaks. Congrats to those who are lucky enough to get the credits.

I do agree that although AT is continually haphazard with flight times in the routes i travel with them, they always went above & beyond to make their frequent mistakes (mechanical & luggage issues) 'right' via 1st class upgrades & vouchers.Still waiting to see what happens with our reward credits when the switch to SW happens, especially those issued thru our affiliated CCs whose said earned rewards don't expire for 2 years.

 

[Allison]

they stopped giving the credits approx mid summer '09 thru this summer...or perhaps they just 'profiled' me; no, others have posted here & flyertalk as to same inconsistencies as to enforecement)/ Their website used to indicate they wouldn't issue credits, not sure of official written policy now. I was shot down when asking for credits this July, them's the breaks. Congrats to those who are lucky enough to get the credits.

That's interesting. I got credited 3 times from May-July this year.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I received credits three times on the same flight (still not taken) as the price dropped. I keep looking to see if I can get a fourth.

 

[aubriee]

That's interesting. I got credited 3 times from May-July this year.

I received credits three times on the same flight (still not taken) as the price dropped. I keep looking to see if I can get a fourth.

I got a $32.00 credit for my upcoming Dec 4th flight about two weeks ago.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I agree and same here! I notice you're from the DFW area too. I'm really dreading Southwest taking over. Thanks to the Wright Ammendment they can't fly out of DFW, so as soon as they take over, all our Air Tran flighs will be moved over to Dallas Lovefield. Plus flying out of Dallas, Southwest is always so much more expensive than either Air Tran or American Airlines. I refuse to fly out of Lovefield, so it looks like our only choice will now be American. I currently have Air Tran tickets for both my upcoming Dec and May trips, but am undecided what to do about my Sept flight. I'd hate to buy Air Tran tickets, just to find out they'd been canceled or the flight moved over to Lovefield.

Yep.

Waiting for AirTran to release their June schedule now. We can fly SW for a TEENY bit less than AA. Parking at Love is a TEENY bit cheaper than DFW, but that would be offset by us hiring a Town Car for the return to MCO since the flippin' SW flight leaves at 8 AM.

The PROBLEM is that paying over $1100 for 3 people is just insane. In no way do I consider $1100 to be "low cost" for an air carrier. I am hoping AirTran will be lower. If not, then $1100 it will be.

 

[eeyoreland]

Okay, all this talk about lower fares got me thinking I should check what fares are now compared to when I booked. Well, I didn't even get that far because I discovered by outgoing flight has been changed to 1 1/2 hours later than it was originally scheduled. I received an e-mail last week telling me there had been a change, but when I compared what was in the e-mail to what my original flight was, there was no change so I assumed it was a computer glitch. That said, I know I can decline the change and receive a refund, which is what I'm thinking about doing.

My question relates to Southwest, because I think I can now get a Southwest flight cheaper than the Airtran flight AND at times I want. But ... I want to be guaranteed my family will sit together (3 of us). Am I correct in my assumption that for an extra $10 each person, each way, we can have a preassigned seat? I mean, if that's the case, SW will still be cheaper than the AirTran flight because I won't have to pay for the luggage. Anything else I need to know about SW?

 

[Massillon Dad]

 

[Daddio]

Am I correct in my assumption that for an extra $10 each person, each way, we can have a preassigned seat? I mean, if that's the case, SW will still be cheaper than the AirTran flight because I won't have to pay for the luggage. Anything else I need to know about SW?

You won't get pre-assigned seats but you will get a 'A' boarding pass wich allows you to be in the top 30 something people boarding which guarantess you will have seats together.

David

 

[LIFERBABE]

Okay, all this talk about lower fares got me thinking I should check what fares are now compared to when I booked. Well, I didn't even get that far because I discovered by outgoing flight has been changed to 1 1/2 hours later than it was originally scheduled. I received an e-mail last week telling me there had been a change, but when I compared what was in the e-mail to what my original flight was, there was no change so I assumed it was a computer glitch. That said, I know I can decline the change and receive a refund,
which is what I'm thinking about doing



My question relates to Southwest, because I think I can now get a Southwest flight cheaper than the Airtran flight AND at times I want. But ... I want to be guaranteed my family will sit together (3 of us). Am I correct in my assumption that for an extra $10 each person, each way, we can have a preassigned seat? I mean, if that's the case, SW will still be cheaper than the AirTran flight because I won't have to pay for the luggage. Anything else I need to know about SW?

The $10 early board allows you to board with the A group but there can be preboarders allowed ahead. There was a recent poster who flew roundtrip on the same flight as a disabled group of individuals that were all allowed to pre board

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

But ... I want to be guaranteed my family will sit together (3 of us). Am I correct in my assumption that for an extra $10 each person, each way, we can have a preassigned seat?

Southwest Airlines does not offer assigned seating of any kind. When you pay the $10 fee, what you're getting is an A boarding priority number. When people line up for boarding, you'll have a low A number which puts you near the front of the line. Thus, when you board the plane, you'll have all the seats in front of you to choose from. There could be passengers on the plane that boarded at a stop before your city, if the flight originated somewhere else. But that's usually just a handful of people. Bottom line, paying the $10 fee will easily allow you to sit with your family next to you.

BobK/Orlando