Airtran Question

[Syndrome]

Hi,
We have never flown Airtran before, and are considering a flight home after our WDW vacation. Our flight down to MCO is via Southwest (which is how we always fly), but the flights home are really high $$$. We have found an Airtran flight home for $88. PP non-stop (same as our Southwest fight to MCO). I know they charge $20. for checked bags, which Southwest does not, but how do they load the plane? Do they load from back to front, or front to back seat wise. Or is it just whom ever is line first gets in the plane first ??? We plan on getting the pre-assigned seats, but still worry about our carry-on fitting in the overheads?

Should we grab this fare? We are Airtran newbies, so just unsure if we should give it a go ??? For the Money, and the time of day its a great deal, and the non-stop is what we are looking for.

Thanks,
Syndrome

 

[Traveliz]

I love Airtran. They board by zones typically front to back with business class first.

Liz

 

[Syndrome]

Thanks !

syndrome

 

[NancyIL]

You can pay for seats that also get priority boarding. After business class and those with priority boarding board - I recall AirTran boarding back to front - which is more efficient.

 

[Traveliz]

You can pay for seats that also get priority boarding. After business class and those with priority boarding board - I recall AirTran boarding back to front - which is more efficient.

They did that for a very short time and I felt like it was really efficient too but apparently the customers (or someone) didn't like it and I haven't had an Airtran flight board back to front in several years.

Liz

 

[NancyIL]

They did that for a very short time and I felt like it was really efficient too but apparently the customers (or someone) didn't like it and I haven't had an Airtran flight board back to front in several years.

Liz

My last flight with AirTran was in July. I was in business class and my kids were seated in the exit row, so we all boarded first thing. I don't remember how we boarded when I flew AirTran in coach in January.

 

[Traveliz]

I flew in January March and May and it was business class exit rows then front to back and then they stopped flying from my airport

 

[NancyIL]

I flew in January March and May and it was business class exit rows then front to back and then they stopped flying from my airport

My airport, too! You don't fly from Bloomington, IL - do you?

 

[Syndrome]

You can pay for seats that also get priority boarding. After business class and those with priority boarding board - I recall AirTran boarding back to front - which is more efficient.

Thats why I asked.........when I look at some of the "seats taken" charts, the front rows are mostly empty, and the back of the plane is full. I was thinking that they loaded from the back to the front ????

Syndrome

 

[Missytara]

Thats why I asked.........when I look at some of the "seats taken" charts, the front rows are mostly empty, and the back of the plane is full. I was thinking that they loaded from the back to the front ????

Syndrome

When I flew AT, after they loaded the first class passengers, they loaded from the back - window and center seat. Then they loaded aisle seat with the next window and center set group. We were three across and couldn't believe we were in different boarding groups. It did not take long to figure out how they did it.

 

[Halle]

The bad thing with the back to front boarding is that so many people put their carry on bags towards the front of the plane which I thought was unfair to those passengers sitting in the front.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

The bad thing with the back to front boarding is that so many people put their carry on bags towards the front of the plane which I thought was unfair to those passengers sitting in the front.

Annoying, but the space over your seat isn't reserved for you.

 

[keishashadow]

Thats why I asked.........when I look at some of the "seats taken" charts, the front rows are mostly empty, and the back of the plane is full. I was thinking that they loaded from the back to the front ????

Syndrome

front 3 rows or so are business class. They'll likely fill up with rewards the day prior. Working back, the seats have different fees for pre-assignment

The bad thing with the back to front boarding is that so many people put their carry on bags towards the front of the plane which I thought was unfair to those passengers sitting in the front.

those regulars, especially business travelers, who paid for their seat assignments who should have 1st dibs on the space over their heads imo and i'm sure customer feedback let them know.

 

[lylone]

We just flew Air tran in April and it was front to back. And if I paid to pre select my seat then I better get the space above for my carryon! The only problem with getting on first is getting whacked by people's carryons who don't know to carry them and not roll them down the aisles!
Love the pilots, attendants and gate folks. They are always friendly and nice.

 

[Traveliz]

My airport, too! You don't fly from Bloomington, IL - do you?

Yes...and I so miss Airtran.

Liz

 

[jenndisney]

Southwest owns Airtran now, so hopefully the change to the Southwest way might happen in the future.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[double r]

We fly out on in Oct. and I pre paid for our seats, I picked the 1st set of seats behind buisness class( 2 seats together on the left side of the plane) did I pick good or bad? It's a short flight (2.5 hours) so even if bad should not be to long.

 

[keishashadow]

We fly out on in Oct. and I pre paid for our seats, I picked the 1st set of seats behind buisness class( 2 seats together on the left side of the plane) did I pick good or bad? It's a short flight (2.5 hours) so even if bad should not be to long.

should be nice seats but u can check them out on seatguru.com and if anything crops up u can change the seats on the airtran website.

 

[lylone]

We fly out on in Oct. and I pre paid for our seats, I picked the 1st set of seats behind buisness class( 2 seats together on the left side of the plane) did I pick good or bad? It's a short flight (2.5 hours) so even if bad should not be to long.

You should be okay if the seats are 2x3 which means a 717, but
if you are in Row 10 then the seatback trays are in the arms of the seats.
On a 737 with 3x3 configuration the same rule applies for Row10
Row 14 really bites because there is no window.

We always book Row12

 

[double r]

You should be okay if the seats are 2x3 which means a 717,
if you are in Row 10 then the seatback trays are in the arms of the seats.
On a 737 with 3x3 configuration the same rule applies for Row10
Row 14 really bites because there is no window.

We always book Row12

The seats are 2 on the left and 3 on the right and we are the 1st row after buisness class, whatever it is we should be fine plan to watch a movie on our laptop to pass the time.