AirTran ~ Question About Seats

[vacationclub]

Thanks for all the opinions.

I paid for all 6 of us to be together, 2 rows of 3, on each leg of the flight.

I'm glad to read the good reports of AirTran's customer service. I've only ever flown Southwest, so if they're better, I'm excited!

They will get you there on time and let you pick your seat ahead of time on their fleet of 717's. If you want flight attendants or gate agents making jokes over the PA systems and singing pilots then you may be disappointed.

Don't get your hopes up.

They appear to have a few cheerleaders on here, but as someone who flies weekly I have not seen this customer service in action. What I see is an airline staffed by employees who don't really seem to care.



I sat at the airport last week at the SW gate next to the AirTran gate. Storming like crazy so everything was delayed. Every 10 minutes the SW agent gave an update.... the AirTran gate, they went off on break or something. Pretty typical

Not my typical experience. But your mileage may vary. Clearly, the surveys of people who fly (I guess you could call them cheerleaders) and FAA statistics vary from your reported experiences.

But you didn't say if you were flying AT or SW or any details about your complaint(s). Perhaps there was a reason for no updates from AT during the time you were there. Perhaps they had no update to give. I'm not sure how you can use a rain delay, and a lack of updates from an airline you may not have even been flying that day as a reason to judge one airline against another.

 

[boundfordisney]

thanks for the heads up on seat arrangement, booked yesterday but didnt book seats after reading here went and booked the seats for the 6 dollars.didnt want to chance the grandkids not being able to sit together especially since it is march break and its sure to be busy.One less thing to stresss about!lol

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I do pay for my seats on every airline when the 4 of us travel together. My DD doesn't like to sit by strangers.

At my airport (atlanta) it's common for flights to sell out and to not be able to get seats together unless you pay for them upfront.

I love Airtran and while I've never flown SW, I do prefer to know my seating arrangement in advance because I like to sit at the front of the plane. Usually that means I'm paying the higher seat price.

If I were you, I'd pay to get my seats instead of waiting and hoping there are seats together.

I just saw that you booked your seat assignments in advance.

 

[dudspizza]

I referred to a flight we had paid for seats for 9 of us (2 confirmations) earlier in this thread.

Well, as we went to board or first or two flights, my youngest daughters BP would not scan. I am thinking... "uh oh". Then the gate agent says, "oh, we've given you new seats". My first instinct was to say, "WHAT! we are traveling with another group", but I decided to see where this goes. She then says, "since you are all A+ members, we upgraded you to business class to accommodate another group".

OH YEAH! We got on the plane a called our friends in the back of the plane to let them know we'd see them in MKE as we had been upgraded!

 

[lylone]

Everyone has an opinion about which airline is better and I also do live and use a Airtran "hub" airport and have been flying them for over 7 years.
I never had an issue with their workers being anything but nice and friendly to me.
I also do enjoy being able to choose my seats since I do not like flying in the rear of the plane. I also like being able to upgrade to business class for a cheaper rate when checking in. I have bought business class for me and my DH for $29 for both of us!
I like having the flexibility of AirTran and are dreading the switch over to SW.

 

[AndreaDM]

Each direction I paid For my daughter to be with one of us and left it up to luck of the draw for the other parent.

This is exactly what we do. Sometimes it works out for the 3 of us to be together, sometimes not and that's no big deal as long as DD is next to one of us.

 

[lundve]

I have never flown Airtran before so I found this thread very helpful.

Also paid for seats after looking at what was left - not enough for the guarantee of my DH and I being seated near the boys or each other. And as much as I did not want to spend the extra, it was still much lower than my target "base" price.

And I didn't want to be one of those people who forced people that paid to move for the sake of my family.

Unfortunately we are a bit further back in the plane than I like but oh well....

 

[aubriee]

I have never flown Airtran before so I found this thread very helpful.

Also paid for seats after looking at what was left - not enough for the guarantee of my DH and I being seated near the boys or each other. And as much as I did not want to spend the extra, it was still much lower than my target "base" price.

And I didn't want to be one of those people who forced people that paid to move for the sake of my family.

Unfortunately we are a bit further back in the plane than I like but oh well....

That was a good decision. However, just FYI there is no way you could force people to move for the sake of your family, nor will the FA make someone move for you. I know that's probably not what you meant, but just wanted to let others know. I have heard parents arguing with the gate agents yelling that they had to make someone move so they could sit with their kids and every single time the response is pretty much the same, "We did not separate you from your kids, you did when you chose not to pay for seats together. We will not force anyone to give up their seats for you, but you may ask someone to switch with you once you get on the plane". Now I have saw FAs ask if someone was willing to switch with someone. Sometimes they get volunteers, but alot of times they do not and the child has to sit by himself. They will never force someone to move.

Not aimed at the person I quoted, but for some reason alot of parents think them having kids gives them an out and they shouldn't have to pay for their seats, like everyone else, and that everyone else should just accommodate them. I've never understood that thinking. If I travel with my grandkids, it's my responsiblity to make sure we are sitting together, so I pay for the seats we need. I have claustrophobic issues and can not sit in a window or middle seat, nor can I sit in the back of the plance. Consequently I fly airlines where I know I can purchase the aisle seat I need and do not appreciate being asked to give that seat up to some family who chose not purchase the seats they needed. I have seven grandkids that I think are the cutest, most talented, most precious beings on God's green earth, but guess what? If I travel with them (which I do), it is my responsibility to take care of them, not some strangers and definitely not some airline who is just trying to make every penny they can so they can stay in business.

 

[lundve]

That was a good decision. However, just FYI there is no way you could force people to move for the sake of your family, nor will the FA make someone move for you. I know that's probably not what you meant, but just wanted to let others know. I have heard parents arguing with the gate agents yelling that they had to make someone move so they could sit with their kids and every single time the response is pretty much the same, "We did not separate you from your kids, you did when you chose not to pay for seats together. We will not force anyone to give up their seats for you, but you may ask someone to switch with you once you get on the plane". Now I have saw FAs ask if someone was willing to switch with someone. Sometimes they get volunteers, but alot of times they do not and the child has to sit by himself. They will never force someone to move.

Not aimed at the person I quoted, but for some reason alot of parents think them having kids gives them an out and they shouldn't have to pay for their seats, like everyone else, and that everyone else should just accommodate them. I've never understood that thinking. If I travel with my grandkids, it's my responsiblity to make sure we are sitting together, so I pay for the seats we need. I have claustrophobic issues and can not sit in a window or middle seat, nor can I sit in the back of the plance. Consequently I fly airlines where I know I can purchase the aisle seat I need and do no appreciate being asked to give that seat up to some family who chose not purchase the seats they needed. I have seven grandkids that I think are the cutest, most talented, most precious beings on God's green earth, but guess what? If I travel with them (which I do), it is my responsibility to take care of them, not some strangers and definitely not some airline who is just trying to make every penny they can so they can stay in business.

BTW - force was the wrong word. I meant to say that I didn't want to be the clueless one that caused the flight attendant to even have to ask people to volunteer. I think that if you are traveling with kids a certain age - a pop up box should come up requiring you to pay for the seats or you can not book. That would stop the unattended children problem from even happening. If it had happened to us my 7 year old would not like it but would do as he was told. My five year old I imagine would probably throw a tantrum and refuse to sit if we were not near each other. And we'd have been asked to deplane.

I didn't want to be a problem person. Oh and I agree with you 100% about taking care of one's own. I am just glad I read this post before we flew...

 

[Missytara]

BTW - force was the wrong word. I meant to say that I didn't want to be the clueless one that caused the flight attendant to even have to ask people to volunteer. I think that if you are traveling with kids a certain age - a pop up box should come up requiring you to pay for the seats or you can not book. That would stop the unattended children problem from even happening. If it had happened to us my 7 year old would not like it but would do as he was told. My five year old I imagine would probably throw a tantrum and refuse to sit if we were not near each other. And we'd have been asked to deplane.

I didn't want to be a problem person. Oh and I agree with you 100% about taking care of one's own. I am just glad I read this post before we flew...

Then what age would you establish it at?

I will play devil's advocate here, but I think if you did that, most novice fliers would assume that their children above a certain age will not be able to sit near you - it just raises more confusion.

Just establish some easy to understand policies as it is now, expect people to take responsibility for reading those policies and book accordingly. The more complicated you make it, the more criticism you are open to and the more entitlement is expected to rectify the "perceived" issue.

 

[RebeccaB]

I have a question regarding seating...just booked our flights back, from MCO to PWM. Our first leg of the flight I was unable to purchase advance seating for our group of 5. All that was available was exit row and we don't qualify (travelling with child). I did advance purchase on the 2nd leg of our flight tho. I'd really like to be assured that my 12yo will have at least one of us to sit with for the first leg of our flight...I'm not sure how to proceed. I know we will survive if it doesn't pan out tho.

 

[WantToGoNow]

Might want to prepare your child ahead of time that you may not be together. If you didn't see 3 together on the seat map then you probably won't be. I would think a 12 y/o would be perfectly fine by themself.

 

[rfassett]

1

 

[rfassett]

I would agree to prepare your family ahead of time but then bring it to the airline's attention at flight time and see if anything can be done.