Airtran price difference refund?

[dedex13]

I can't seem to find a definitive answer to this question since anything before 2012 may no longer apply...

Does Airtran charge the "change fee" or an "administrative fee" when requesting a credit when their price drops?

The price of my flights dropped $74! But if I have to pay a fee there's no point in even calling.

And if I do get a credit can I use it to pay the bag fee? Or can it only be used for upgrades or future travel?

 

[richmo]

I'm just taking a guess here, but I think you have to pay the change fee with AirTran. I think Southwest (and maybe JetBlue?) is the only one that lets you take a credit if the price drops.

 

[mischief32]

Yes, you can get a credit without a fee. I did not last year and have a $18 credit to be used. You can use it to pay baggage fees but you ight have to go to the baggage check in to do so instead of paying on line in advance. I read this on their websiite last year.

 

[dedex13]

For anyone else who's interested:

Airtran does not charge the change fee for price drops. The travel voucher is good for one year from the date of the original booking. The rep said you can use the voucher to pay your bag fees as well. She said to check them on-line and call when balance due. I'm thinking this means to call when you get to the payment page?

The price of my flights went down on Tuesday, but when I called the rep said the prices were the same. I thought maybe it was a special rate since I clicked through from an e-mail. Today when I called the rep had the prices from Tuesday, but the cost went down again since then. I questioned it, she put me on hold, and came back with the lower price.

 

[smitch425]

For anyone else who's interested:

Airtran does not charge the change fee for price drops. The travel voucher is good for one year from the date of the original booking. The rep said you can use the voucher to pay your bag fees as well. She said to check them on-line and call when balance due. I'm thinking this means to call when you get to the payment page?

The price of my flights went down on Tuesday, but when I called the rep said the prices were the same. I thought maybe it was a special rate since I clicked through from an e-mail. Today when I called the rep had the prices from Tuesday, but the cost went down again since then. I questioned it, she put me on hold, and came back with the lower price.

Thank you for posting this! I was on the fence about purchasing our tickets from Airtran because they are only booking through 11/2 and we don't return home until 11/4. The flight down is a great price, so if I can get a flight home when it is released and then get a refund if it would go down later then I feel more comfortable. Never flown with Airtran before and was nervous. This makes me feel better. Thanks again!

 

[richmo]

Airtran does not charge the change fee for price drops. The travel voucher is good for one year from the date of the original booking.

I'm just taking a guess here, but I think you have to pay the change fee with AirTran.

I stand corrected! This sounds more in line with how Southwest works (which, of course, owns AirTran now). I would assume that any voucher you get from AirTran would be honored by Southwest after they start flying only as Southwest.

 

[gymstx]

So if my price goes down, who do I call? Then I will receive a voucher that can be used toward luggage???

 

[Order66]

You call the ticketing line. They will transfer the credit to your A+ account. From there you can use it for future tickets, seat fees and/or luggage fees at the counter at check in.

If you want to have credit you can use for online check in luggage fees then ask to have the credit left on your reservation number rather than your A+ account. This is what an agent told me when I asked how I could use RAC rather than take my bags to the counter with me on our return. Worked just fine when I did the online check in. My bags came up a $0.

regards

 

[Dan Murphy]

So if my price goes down, who do I call? Then I will receive a voucher that can be used toward luggage???

Just call customer service.

And Airtran was doing this before there was any talk about SW merger.

 

[Inkmahm]

You call the ticketing line. They will transfer the credit to your A+ account. From there you can use it for future tickets, seat fees and/or luggage fees at the counter at check in.

If you want to have credit you can use for online check in luggage fees then ask to have the credit left on your reservation number rather than your A+ account. This is what an agent told me when I asked how I could use RAC rather than take my bags to the counter with me on our return. Worked just fine when I did the online check in. My bags came up a $0.

regards

Thanks for the tip! I've done the credit to my Airtran A+ rewards account for years when there was a price decrease. But I never heard about keeping $ on the reservation number to cover the luggage fee before. That seems quite simple and an excellent approach!

 

[lylone]

You can also use a credit for assigned seats and upgrading to business class. It won't show the credit on line, but if you call them you can use it.
I had a huge credit from my last trip because the fares went down and used them for upgrades for another trip in April.
I just hope when it all switches to Southwest that they don't blow all the great things AirTran was doing.

 

[TaraPA]

You can also use a credit for assigned seats and upgrading to business class. It won't show the credit on line, but if you call them you can use it.
I had a huge credit from my last trip because the fares went down and used them for upgrades for another trip in April.
I just hope when it all switches to Southwest that they don't blow all the great things AirTran was doing.

I've called to get a credit for a price drop many times (the most recent being March 2012) & it always shows online on my A+ Rewards account. When you go to pay (for upgraded seats or a future flight) it comes up as a payment option, along with CC. You have to log into your account to see this, maybe you just didn't go far enough into the account to see it, but it's there! I've learned sometimes you have to dig for info in the A+ Rewards area.

Now if you have the credit applied to an existing reservation (as discussed previously) then it may not show up since it's already "in use." I've never handled it that way before since we never take checked bags, just carry-ons.

And SW has already "blown all the great things Airtran was doing" in my book - they pulled AT out of our local airport. Wah.

 

[Esmerelda]

I've gotten price drops on our last 3 RT Airtran flights out of Dayton. They always put the difference back to my debit/credit card with no questions asked. Of course, I just turn around and use it for luggage fees. Southwest goes out of Columbus so we have been using them more often.

<really likes SW, hates seat charges and luggage charges.

Added; yes, I know that Airtran will soon be SW but it hasn't happened in Dayton yet.

 

[MomRN]

I don't have a A+ rewards account, but I called recently and got a credit on the account for drop in fares. Right now I have $70 worth of credit for a total of 5 people. We will probably travel with 2-3 suitcases, and I assume the process of going to baggage check and getting that situated will be easy enough, but when I check out of the hotel (POR) how will any remaining credit be applied.

The last time we went we just paid $40 for baggage fees back. Not sure how it will work when Disney is handling sending the bags back.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I've gotten price drops on our last 3 RT Airtran flights out of Dayton. They always put the difference back to my debit/credit card with no questions asked. Of course, I just turn around and use it for luggage fees. Southwest goes out of Columbus so we have been using them more often.

<really likes SW, hates seat charges and luggage charges.

Added; yes, I know that Airtran will soon be SW but it hasn't happened in Dayton yet.

Which fare level are you purchasing that AirTran credits your payment method instead of your A+ account? Generally, nonrefundable - the lowest fare buckets most travelers use - means exactly that. You don't get your payment returned to you.

 

[luvmyguyz]

Can you get credits for price drops if you book Airtran airfare through Disney?

 

[3PRINCESSMOM]

After reading through many of these threads, I am finding a theme. Many, NOT ALL, airlines will grant travel funds credit for fare drop on your exact flight with no "change fee." Those fees seem to apply when you actually change flights, not fares.

Just MHO....

 

[Jestocost]

After reading through many of these threads, I am finding a theme. Many, NOT ALL, airlines will grant travel funds credit for fare drop on your exact flight with no "change fee." Those fees seem to apply when you actually change flights, not fares.

Just MHO....

That's incorrect. Most airlines do charge fees--and most $150 per ticket--for any changes to non-refundable fares. As a result, unless the fare drops by more than $150 you actually wind up paying more to get the lower price; which obviously doesn't make sense.

SWA, Alaska and Jet Blue are the only ones where this the policy. AirTran apparently does give credits upon request without charging a fee, but their printed policy is that they charge $75 per ticket.

 

[lylone]

The key to getting credits is to ask... don't demand or assume you deserve the credit.
I always ask and have always received a credit without a change fee.