AirTran seat assignments

[MinnieGi]

I've never flown AirTran before and I thought some veteran AirTran flyers could answer my question. I see on their web site that I can "check-in" within 24 hours before my flight. Will I get my seat assignments at the web check-in?
Thanks!

 

[MiJo]

My DW and I will be flying AirTran out of Philly in less than 2 weeks and I had posted a similar question. I was told that you can print out boarding passes within 24 hours of the flight. It sounds like you can then by-pass the counter and go right to the boarding area, sit down and wait for your row to be called. I would also like to know how curbside check-in works. Do they put a tag on your luggage outside and then you take your luggage in to go through security? In Allentown, we just carried our luggage in to the security area and then checked in at the counter. I'm curious to see the responses you get to this post! Thanks for posting it.
Here's a link to the post I mentioned: Boarding Passes

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

I tried to do online check-in, but it wouldn't let me. It said to check-in at the airport.

We did all get to sit together (4 of us) though.

 

[DebbieB]

I used Air Tran last month from Pittsburgh. 24 hours before, you go onto their website to check-in. A map of the plane will come up and you pick your seats. Both ways I had almost the entire plane to pick from. You print out the boarding passes. On the return trip, I had my laptop and did the check-in and selected seats but could not print out the boarding passes. That was no problem, I picked them up curbside.

There was no curbside in Pittsburgh but there was in Orlando. In Orlando, I drove up, the skycap printed and attached the bag checks, took the bags and printed the boarding passes. We did not have to go inside with the bags, the skycap took care of it. Then I returned the rental car. Their gate area at MCO is in a new section, it's very nice.

 

[MiJo]

Don't you have to be with your luggage when it's being checked? It seems odd that you wouldn't have to be.

 

[DebbieB]

No, they take the checked luggage inside, you are not with it when it is scanned/searched. That's why you have to keep it unlocked. Most airlines who have curbside do it that way. You still have to go through security with your carryon luggage.

 

[rkmassa]

We fly Airtran all the time. Once we used Orbitz to book. When we did that, we could not pick our seats early. We learned after that to book with Airtran through their web site. They had better prices anyway. 24 hours before our flight we go online and pick our seats. It will pull up a diagram of the plane and show you available seats to choose from. You can also print boarding passes. The last time it only showed 12 seats. I thought is was odd, but chose our seats. When I arrived at the counter (I always still go to the counter and check in just to make sure everything is fine, but our airport is never busy), we had been given business class seats. I guess by the time I checked in online, the only seats left were business class. They had of course oversold the flight. We got business class seats for our regular coach price. It was great. I really like Airtran.

 

[safetymom]

I have flown Air Tran quite a few times. I checked in ahead of time and picked my seats. I use curbside check in but had to check in inside at ATL and had no problems. They took my luggage to be screened. I didn't have to be there.

Once I didn't have access to a printer but checked in using my laptop. I picked my seats and then had them print the boarding pass at the airport. That way I got my choice of seats.